For The Sake Of Kyoko!
by IrrelevantGirlie
Summary: Kyoko's over at Ren's to make dinner, again, but what happens when she is just a little bit too tired? How is Ren going to handle this? What will be revealed by who to whom? (Info up until chapter 229 is accurate, but it may not be used. I don't know.)
1. Chapter 1

"Nonsense, Mogami-san, I insist." Ren looks at the fight in her eyes. "Look, it's been a long day for both of us, so why don't we just keep this as smooth as possible and just let me get the groceries. The sooner you let me, the sooner I can get my nutrients in me and go to bed at a half-way decent time, right? Besides, you're cooking anyway."

"Yeah, but..." She bites on her lip softly and he's glad to be holding his jacket because otherwise he might just reach out for her.

"Look, we're already holding up the line," he points out as someone get in line after them and the clerk just looks at them, having been through this before with the couple. _Why do they keep doing this to my line? It's always the same to. Any moment now, she'll give in and he'll just pay for them regardless._ On most nights it would be a little humourous for the attendant, but since he's getting off early for once, he don't want this to drag out.

"Okay then, fine." _Just like clockwork, these two,_ the clerk thinks as th man hands over the exact change for the transaction. The two exit the store together as always and go on their own merry way as the clerk makes a mark on the tally board by his till under 'Tall Man' for his victory tonight before helping the next customer. _Well, he's in the lead, but he isn't exactly left in the dust either,_ he thinks after the next customer leaves and he checks his board again. _He's ten times ahead of her, but together they have gotten forty-four bags for groceries starting a few months ago, an who knows how many more before I noticed them walking in here. 'Little Miss' sure is rising though, since it used to be way off._

Later he calls his wife at her mother's house for a trip to Kyoto. After about forty-five minutes after the start of the conversation, right before they hung up, he remembers the chart. "They came in again."

"Who?"

"'Tall Man' and 'Little Miss'. They came in again tonight, same as always."

"Who won this time?"

"'Tall Man' again. Claimed they were holding up the line."

"Poor thing caved then, didn't she?"

"Yeah, but reluctant to do so. Difference is back up to ten."

"I bet she'll get back on it; she has the fighting spirit."

"No doubt about that. Well, have a good night, dear."

"Alright, I love you, hon."

"Love you, too."


	2. Chapter 2

Kyoko looks at Ren's plate and notices some of the fish pushed to the side, so she tries a bite of hers and nearly grimaces. _No wonder Tsuruga-san's not eating it, that is just too salty! And here I thought that the mishap with the shaker was handled._ She looks at his plate again. _He wouldn't tell me if it were too salty anyway, but how can I know what to do unless he makes it known to me?_

 _Something's wrong._ He looks at her face again before eating again, knowing that if he were to linger there, she would get embarrassed. _Not that there's something wrong with her blushing, though; that's always something to see._ He eats more of the rice with a little bit of the fish, but wonders how he'll manage not to get her to notice that he's not planning to eat more than half of it. Not that there's anything wrong with her cooking -that's as good as always- but the piece of fish she put on his plate was a bit...big. His stomach turned whilst even considering eating it all for her sake. _I shouldn't have said I had missed lunch earlier, even if it was to get her to agree to come along and make something for me, but it has been so long...no, wait, that was just last week after catching hold of her at TBM, so about five nights since she's cooked here for me._

After refusing him to help with the groceries, they step into the living room and he turns on some television program until she voices that she would want to go back to her house. Ten minutes later, he nearly jumps in shock when she leans into his side. "Uh, Mogami-san?"

"Mmm?"

"Should I take you home?" _I didn't think she was this tired._ She doesn't do anything in reply as he looks down at her sleepy face. _She is just so cute._ Her lips are only the slightest bit parted so he can feel the slightest breath when he reaches up to touch the side of her face to tuck the hair back behind her ears. _Maybe she should just stay here and we'll just fall asleep on he couch together. She looks like she's all comfortable, and I certainly wouldn't mind of she- no, wait, her guardians wouldn't like it is she just stayed out all night without her calling._ He pulls his phone out of his pocket to remember that he doesn't have the number for the place she's staying. "Mogami-san, where's your phone? I should call the people you're staying with to let them know where you are."

"Mmm...co-" she yawns in the middle of her word "coat pocket, Tsuruga."

"Okay, I'll go and get it." He carefully shifts her and puts a pillow up in his place. _No honorific? That's one step forward I suppose. If only it weren't for her tiredness._ He calls her place and the woman thanks him for calling, saying that he should just leave her be if she's already asleep since the day was so long.

"She'll be in your hands then, Tsuruga Ren-sama," she says before hanging up.

He then walks back over to his beloved, wondering what exactly he should do. "Mogami-san, come on, let's get you to the guest room. It'll be more comfortable there than on the couch." With no answer, he hesitantly picks her up in his arms, shuffling her to keep a good grasp. He takes a couple steps from the couch and towards the hallway before he freezes as her hands snake around his neck. He looks down at her to see her smiling with her eyes closed, looking as asleep as ever. He takes a deep breath and starts walking again, stopping once more in shock as she sits forward and buries her face into his neck. He inwardly groans at the torture as she snuggles against him in the cutest way. "Mogami-san, we're almost to the bedroom and I'll put you down to sleep in there," he says under his breath, reminding himself of his actions as he walks on.

"Perfect," she says smoothly against his neck and he feels her mouth move with the words as she speaks into his neck. "I never thought that you would be this...'professional'? That the word, Ren?" She chuckles softly and tightens her hold on him by a bit.

"Mogami-san?"His heart beats at his name falling from her lips without any honorifics and sounding like it were natural. He stops at the end of the hall with the small light on above them between the two rooms.

"Hmm...I want to say...'almost'?" She leans back and smiles at him with something gleaming in her eyes.

The sultry smile is pinned down as he looks at her with wide eyes. "Natsu?"

"You've got it," she smirks before pulling his face forward and locking lips with the most desirable man in Japan.


	3. Chapter 3

The shock of the lips that haunt him at night finally on his makes his head reel as his feet move back with him. The fingers laced in his hair keep his face in place as he automatically reacts to her insistence. He barely notices where he's headed until he backs into his bed, so he turns on instinct, dropping her legs and pinning her underneath him without breaking her passion-laden kiss.

That is, until he feels her shaking. Alarmed, Ren pulls back to find a sultry smile on the slightly swollen delectable lips he fancies as she quietly laughs. "Hm. If that was your 'gentlemanly behavior', then Kyoko was right. You are a playboy." Her laughter sounds like silk as her words slowly sink into his mind.

It is only then that Ren realises that the hand that wasn't entangled in the hair at the back of her head was on her back and under her shirt. He pulls back from her like she is fire and sits up on the bed beside her as she gets up from lying down. "I'm not a playboy."

"I know, Ren." She crosses her legs, showing them off as she leans on her right hand, twisting and pulling Ren closer by his tie. She pulls him close enough that it's tempting to just follow the tension and- _no. This is Natsu, not Kyoko._ "I know all about you."

"You do?"

"I also know Kyoko too. Prude brat."

"Hey-" he moves to defend her, but she yanks on his tie.

"You know the first part is true, even if you do love her."

He stiffens. "What?" She smiles at his reaction.

"I told you, Ren." Natsu shifts her body to face him a little more. "I know all. About. You." Each punctuation was met with a slight tug on his necktie.

"You know that I...?"

"Love her like the Earth loves the sun, the stars loves the heavens, and Yukihito loves little doggies? Yeah."

The air leaves Ren like he dropped off a ledge. "If you know that, Natsu-san-"

"'Natsu', please," she purrs as she loosens his tie smoothly.

He ignores her actions, knowing it would be fruitless to counter the character. _God, he was going mad, wasn't he? It's still Kyoko. It isn't like it is two different people. It's one person! It's like a bucket of crazy_. "If you know that, Natsu, then what about Moga-"

"Call her 'Kyoko' with me at least, Ren."

"Please, Natsu. Answer me. What does Ky...Kyoko know?"

She pulls his tie off in one more motion. "You know, you shouldn't be a tie man." She unbuttons the top couple buttons and pulls it open neatly. "You could pull off the open-collar look."

"Natsu. Please. What does she know?"

"It just wouldn't be fun just to tell you outright my dear Ren...okay. I'll tell you if I get another kiss."

"But-"

"It's not like she'll know anyway."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'll tell you, but that's my price for the knowledge we have. I must warn you though Ren, it's a limited time offer. She doesn't often hit this space of tiredness where we come out like this. She's normally on her own at this point, but she didn't realise how tired she was tonight, so this is rare and is quite the catch in time. It is pure luck that you have this opportunity."

 _A chance to know about Kyoko from a part of her willing to talk and the price is a_ kiss _? It's like it's too good. Too perfect.I'll end up waking in the hospital being told that this whole encounter was actually a dream after an accident on set. Wait. Is that the real truth?_ He looks into her eyes for a long minute, digging his thumbnail deep into the flesh on the side of his index finger. _I didn't wake up, but that doesn't say much._ He takes a deep breath and lowers his head to hers. "Alright. Agreed," he whispers before laying his lips over her smile.


	4. Chapter 4

It was sweet torture as Natsu deepened the kiss, scooting closer to him and locking his lips to her more than he had originally intended. Not that he really minded in all actuality. _Stop. You need to stop this. Now. If Kyoko remembers what is happening after she wakes up, it's night-night for you and she will be gone forever._ He stifles a groan and uses all of his willpower to draw back from the most delectable and hypnotic lips on the face of the planet. Natsu sighs audibly as if disappointed and wants it to be known as such. Her breath dances along Ren's jaw and it takes all of Ren's fight not to follow and continue on. "Man, you have sure got a mouth on you. Why do you have to be so damn uptight though? We need to fix it." Her hands roam up to his shoulders. "Let's just get this off, huh?" Her hands move outward on his shoulders, taking the suit jacket off of him and letting it fall down his arms. _Dear god, woman. If Kyoko acted like you did, then my control would shatter sooner. Or I wouldn't be able to pull it together in the first place._

"Natsu..." His voice surprises him with how steady and firm it is as he leans away from the temptress in front of him, taking his hands from the sleeves. She tosses the jacket aside onto the floor, finding pleasure in watching him squirm.

His voice doesn't sway her when she looks him in the eyes. "Oh, I know Ren. I will tell you, but you are too...uptight. I don't talk to stiff guys in suits if I can help it: only those who can let loose. You're already most of the way, thanks to yours truly" she purrs. _When did she untuck my shirt? Why didn't I feel her do it?_ "All that's left is the sleeves I suppose." She unbuttons the cuffs and moves to roll them up when he takes back his arms, rolling the sleeves himself. _Let her do it and I'll probably end up shirtless under those fingers_.

Backing up a foot onto the bed away from her, he lets out another breath, relaxing when out of the aura of the Natsu. "Okay. I'm loose, I paid your price, so talk."

"You are no fun Ren," she pouts as he fights himself again. "But fine. I'll start from the beginning then."

"The 'beginning'?"

"You don't think this justifies a beginning?"

"...How far back do you need to go?"

"I have the story from back when that leech broke her heart."

"Wait. Nothing more?" _How does this even work?_

"Well, that's when the grudges came out of the box and our story began. I didn't come along until later, but I'm well up to date on the information."

"What box?"

"That's not important...well, it is, but not until later. And for different reasons. First off, the grudges. I know you are familiar about the thing with the leech and that is why she chose LME and all. The grudges were responsible for getting Sawara-san to let her into the audition, and you already didn't like her then because of her initial motive, right? Revenge put her at LME."

"Well I already knew that part aout revenge, but what's a grudge?"

"You're going to know a lot of what I tell you, so just go with it. It may even get boring, but I don't know the extent of what you know, so I'll just lay it out there. Now, grudges are basically spirits. You could call then Kyoko's personal little lapdog demons that are invisible to the untrained eye that resemble her and do her bidding. Your pal Reino from that band against the leech named Vie Ghoul can catch you up on that point."

"My friend?"

"The 'denizen of Hell' back in Kariuzawa. I believe Kyoko called him 'Beagle' when she didn't hear the name right and it has stuck that way ever since. Poor man. Anyway, revenge got her to LME, but revenge didn't put her in the acting section."

"But I thought-"

"Well stop thinking Ren. Don't go against me now, okay? I'm taking the time to enlighten you, so listen good, you buffoon: I'm telling you it like it is. You, Ren, are the one who got the lovely Mogami Kyoko into acting.

 _Me?_


	5. Chapter 5

"What?"

She scoots back onto the bed, making herself more comfortable. "Well, it was you who changed her mind a bit. It happened up at the shoot at the mountains. Remember? You manipulated her acting and she felt bested by you for it. So she wanted to beat you at your own game and, therefore, acting was chosen. Eventually, though, she did figure out that it was her passion, but that was after she realized that the skills that had brought her to that intersection were only things she was taught to take over the ryokan with the leech. That made her lost, but also furious. It was then she decided that she wanted to do things under her own power for things she chose herself. She found her love and passion for this job and has stood behind it since."

"She wants to beat me?"

"In a way, yes, but not in that few of words. It's more than just beating you."

"So what is it?"

"In her newfound respect, especially after you helped her find our lovely Mio, that dream got changed in a fashion." A simple smile appears on her lips while thinking of Kyoko. "She wants to be able to act beside you without you leading her through every step in a project, not to stand on top of you as you beg with tears for mercy because of the brilliance of her own acting."

 _What the-?_ "That was the dream before?"

"Hon, if only you knew."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You know that her imagination is quite powerful, right?"

"Yeah...it is," he states slowly, startled by the turn. "What of it?"

"And once she sets her mind on something, it is done with every detail perfect because it is in her blood." His mind flashes back to a memory of her crying face when she was six years old and didn't get a hundred. _Her mother, again_. "Proof of that would be me even talking to you right now." She lays back onto the bed and looks at the ceiling, her hands folded over her stomach.

"Well, that part may be done a little _too_ well," he mutters. The feeling of talking to Kyoko has long since past. _It truly feels like I'm talking to a different person right now. Someone different, but someone close to her._

"It has gotten her into trouble before too. Remember the ghost floor outside the recording rooms when she was done with the floor? Sitting on a fractured ankle? Going beyond for the manager job and taking care of you in all your stubbornness to the length of collapsing out of exhaustion here? That bruise on her leg from pushing herself too hard in training for another drama? And that only names a few!"

"I guess I didn't think about that portion of her until now," he says more to himself. "I'll have to remember that."

"You had better remember all of this Ren."

"I know, I know."

"So, the mini point would be the voodoo dolls. You're familiar with the half-version of you that Mara received for her birthday, right?"

"Yes." _It was really creepy and even had different faces with it. Perfect in every way he could tell. No wonder she knew I was Cain._ He inwardly shudders at the memory of her explaining how she found out. _Eyes like a freaking hawk's on steroids, that girl. It's unreal._

"Well, she has more than that one."

Ren looks at her for the longest time with just a blank stare. Natsu turns her head at the silence permeating the room and meets his eyes. She just sits there with her golden eyes without backing down whereas her springy counterpart would have fizzled entirely in maybe eight seconds. Or less. Ren keeps his voice even when he finally speaks, saying "you mean to tell me that she has more than one of those half-sized dolls of me?"

Natsu lets out a short laugh. "Oh god, no. At most they are seven inches tall."

This relaxes him. Somewhat. "Voodoo dolls though?" _Like bad witchcraft from the bayou kind of voodoo?_

"Yes. She finds them therapeutic to make actually. The first couple were made to get her frustrations out on the leech." She smiles with a cruel edge to it. "The faces on his are ones that beg for mercy like some of the girls at school under my hand as they beg and plead on the ground." _What? Oh wait. She's a bully._ "But after you came along, that is all they are modelled on. They are all different 'you's. Depressed, smiling kindly, that fake smile that conceals demons that makes her want to run, sleeping, the Emperor, Cain, an impassive you, one that she uses to scold herself when you aren't available to do it yourself-"

"So she just has all of these 'mini-me's floating around?"

"Yes. I believe Kanae has seen them and may be able to fill you in there with the little details. The point is that there are more of you than there is of that leech."

 _That doesn't seem like a bragging point._ "But they're voodoo dolls. From all that I've heard, voodoo isn't a good thing to be dabbling in. Where in the world did she get into this anyway?"

She rolls her eyes and sighs exasperatedly. "My god, you're missing the point!"

"How?"

"Her main focus is on you, dummy."

 _Dummy?_ "Again, how? Because every _single_ time Fuwa's name comes up, she-"

"Is ticked, I know. You forget that I'm a part of her, stupid. The grudges even pop out automatically. Kind of like a Pavlov thing." _Pavlov?_ "But she doesn't keep _him_ in her bag." _Pavlov was the psychology guy with the dogs, right?_

The image of him in a Santa-sack being dragged around by the petite little girl flits through his mind before he bats it away. "And this is supposed to be a good thing, right?"

"Weird enough, yes. It means that even if you can't see her every day, you are still there."

"As a voodoo doll," he flatly states.

"A handcrafted, specially made, and intrinsically detailed voodoo doll."

"But a voodoo doll nonetheless!"

"Well don't think of it like that. You've known all along that she was a little bit different with the whole fairy thing, so this shouldn't be that bad. Think of it in another way if it helps. They are just mini embodiments of the different fractures of your soul or something. But I dunno. I'm not into the whole voodoo thing."

"Fractures of my soul?"

"I told you I'm not a voodoo person, but that's the best way I can spin it. Not all voodoo is bad voodoo. All I know for sure is that it helps her sometimes. She talks out loud to them and everything! It's like getting her thoughts out into the air helps her. She goes to you for advice even when you don't know it."

He sits there in silence, thinking it over. "So..it's good. Alright."


	6. Chapter 6

"Now what was it earlier bout Kyoko not even knowing if we've kissed or not? Thy were now sitting at the bar and sipping tea that Ren had made because Natsu 'doesn't do things like that', but she wanted something to keep her up because Kyoko's body was fighting to sleep. But coffee was too strong, so tea it had to be. "Because that seems a little farfetched. Especially considering work."

"Alright, onto that beginning. Now keep this in your head: I am a character. She designs us and lets us take over her body for the purpose of acting, but also uses us when she thinks she can't handle some certain situations and thinks she needs us."

"How much control does each one of your...souls...have?"

"Pretty much all of it. _Complete_ control."

"Wait, you have free reign over her at times?"

"In a way. She calls each character a soul on their own. You've got me, Setsuka, Mio, A-kun, Flora, Kuon, and a couple others in the works at her disposal."

"'Kuon'?"

"Hizuri Kuu's son." Ren motions for her to continue on that point. "Kyoko was given an acting lesson from Hizuri Kuu a while back and she did so well that he praised her rendition on his son. They connected so well that short time he was here in Japan that he urged her to call him 'Father'. It was practically insisted, but it brings her joy, having that ability and every tie she gets to use it. I don't know why though. The grudges won't talk about it and it was before any of our times."

"Her, uh, father...wasn't around when she was little. I never heard anything about him."

Natsu looks at Ren like a new source of information. "And her mother?"

Ren's hand tighten on his cup as he stares daggers into it. He takes a breath in. "She wasn't what one would call a good mother," he says guardedly. _Ha._ That _hardly covers it. That would be but the_ tip _of the proverbial iceberg right there. You can do it. Say it. Say 'Mogami Saena is a bitch who didn't want her daughter and didn't deserve to have Kyoko as her own'._ "She would be a major part of the reason that Kyoko is such a diehard perfectionist."

"Really? Huh. And here I was thinking it was a blood-tpe issue. What else can you tell me about her? Kyoko's mother, I mean."

"She abandoned Kyoko when she was six at the Fuwa ryokan and never looked back. She was already enthralled with that guy at the time, but this broke her heart more than she ever let on. What Fuwa did on her heart was child's play in comparison. _He_ doesn't even like her mother fro what I can tell."

The air is tense with the aura coming off of Ren in waves and Natsu can feel that any more pressure in that area would shatter it all for him like a glass bubble, and she wasn't in the mood for broken glass tonight. So she does what any normal person would do and sidesteps the catastrophe to be. "So...about Kuon, 'Father's son'? She still has the character soul for him in here."

"Is that so."

"Yes. He cane to her when she was making me, I think. I was barely put together before she got herself over to your place and learned how to make me move. I suppose I should thank you for that since she is so naturally stiff." Natsu gets up from the stool and walks over to the fridge. "Anyway, Kuon pops up when she is discourages and needs a 'we-can-do-it!' attitude."

"How is she when you take over?"

She looks into the fridge. "Don't you keep anything good in here? All I am seeing in here is health-nut crap, and I get that enough from my mother," she half-whines.

"It's probably stuff she picked out. I get that kind of stuff wth Kyoko. Well, she picks it out and I just buy it."

"Maybe if you ate more in general and got her off your back, you would have more things that you could just munch on."

"I don't need or want her off of my back, remember? And for your information, I do. The junk food stuff that I don't think she would like me eating is on top of the refrigerator." He points from his seat and she just looks up.

"Like hell I'm going to be able to reach that." She looks like she's just going to walk away when she asks, "what do you have up there?"

"I dunno. American snack cakes, pocky, hi-chew, those little panda cookies that Maria gets sometimes from that person that's always with the president, maybe a couple bags of chips? Maybe even chex-mix that the president gets once in a while." _Although it is better than if mom would ever try, dad can't do anything half-way. I got three whole tins from Lory when he was attacked by them, so I gave one to Yukihito._

Natsu sighs tiredly and shakes her head in a way that makes him think that Kyoko has come back until she speaks. "Dammit." She grabs a chair and before Ren can think about her actions, she has climbed on top of the taller, made-for-his-height counter.

"Hey!" He dashes to her in an instant. "What do you think you are doing up there? Are you out of your freaking mind?" He reaches for her, but she keeps on going to the fridge with him as a spotter and reaches into the cabinet.

"No, I'm not. I've got the munchies. Want anything?" She looks down at him with a smile.

He sighs, giving in. "What is even up there?"

"Well, you're right about the snack cakes, pandas, and hi-chew. It's strawberry too! My favourite!"

He thinks on it a moment, wondering if the same would be applied to Kyoko too. _How close are these characters to her?_ "What snack cakes are there?" It takes a while to get settled again with the talk of favourites and different snacks, but he tells her not to climb the counters again.

"Well, it's your fault for having everything so freaking tall. Would you feel better if there was a character who has had a lot of balance training? More than Kyoko at least?"

"Not particularly. And you till haven't gotten to how that all works anyhow."

"Oh riiight. Okay, I'll take your questions then I guess because I forgot where I left off and where I was going."

"What happens when you take over at a job?"

"Kyoko lets us take over the driver's seat. She's still there at the back of her head, but she isn't really in control unless she lets us slip." Ren looks sceptically at her, so she looks for an example he might understand. "Like when you were Cain after the leech called and you guys were on the bed? _Total_ flip out."

"Really?"

"Uh, yes? I mean, she was wailing apologies at you the whole time at the top of her little lungs. Super annoying."

"You were there?"

"We all were, but the others don't really care, like Mio. I tried helping Setsuka after I saw what she did to your neck the first time, but Kyoko was distracting. But it's not like we're sitting there always. It's just on things like acting, like if she needs to borrow something, like a Natsu-like walk for Setsuka. It's just tweaked a bit for each character."

"But her eyes didn't even let anything through."

"Well, yes. _Setsuka_ was in charge," she says it like it was obvious all along.

"But her eyes didn't even flinch!"

"I'm not sure how you knew that because your eyes were partially _closed_ during that time," she smiles kind of teasingle. "But yes, she was there screaming about the purity of Japanese women, then cursing Europeans and their displays of affection and how it's not right and _proper_ , and then went on a rant about Setsuka's unhealthy relationship with her brother before the apologies set in again." Natsu cringes at the memory. "That one sure does like wailing on and on in a vicious cycle."

"Okay, so times like that she _is_ there, but not _present_ to outer people?"

"Yes."

"Then is she there now?"

"No. She is too tired to be here."

"How do I know that for sure?"

"I'll prove it to you if you trust your reflexes." Natsu closes her eyes, letting out a breath. "It won't be long or I won't know if I'll be back. Just do _not_ act like Cain. You do, and I'm sure Setsuka will march her way out here next time."

"Trust my what? What do you mean, 'back'?" Suddenly, like a puppet with cut strings, Natsu falls sideways and Ren catches her right before she falls off the stool. "Natsu? Hey, Natsu!" He stares down at her face and slowly she starts shifting. Her brows come together and her eyes open slightly, like a child that's been passed out for hours. A little yawn graces her lips as her golden eyes look questionably at Ren as they focus.

"Tsuruga-san?"


	7. Chapter 7

_Kyo-_ "Mogami-san?"

A little groan comes out of her as she sits back up onto the bar stool once again, one hand on the bar to steady her in her sleepiness. "What time is it, Tsuruga-san?"

He looks at the oven for the time. "Looks like it's two in the morning." _What? Was it really that late?_

"Why are you up? Don't you have to work in the morning?" Realisation hits her eyes. "I forgot to phone! They are probably so worried! I really shouldn't trouble them like that!" She gets up and starts searching for her cell phone.

"Mogami-san, don't worry. I have already called them and told them of the situation."

"Oh! I'm so sorry Tsuruga-san! To think that I troubled you that greatly! I really should have remembered to call them! What should they think of my _sempai_ calling for me that late of hour again! Rea-"

"Hey Mogami-san?" He cuts her off with a smile that she slightly flinches at.

"Y-yes, Tsuruga-san?"

"Could you tell me what the last thing you remember is?"

She looks at him with an odd look in her eyes, her confusion written on her face in trying to discern the direction of the conversation was going. She thinks backwards. "The dishes had gotten done and we sat down on the couch to watch some television..."

"And you don't remember anything after that?" He keeps smiling, making her uneasy.

She sits up straight in her chair on full alert. "No, sir." _Sir?_ "Had a dream though. Which you woke me from...how did I get from the couch to your bar?"

 _Maybe she wasn't as out as Natsu had thought, but played it off as a dream..._ "What was in your dream, Mogami-san?"

Her eyes light up upon remembering it. "It was amazing, Tsuruga-san! Moko-san and I were princesses at a royal ball having a grand old time, and can you guess at who shows up as the prince? It was Corn! I told you about him, right? He was the fairy prince I met a long time ago when I was little and then I met again by coincidence in Guam, remember? He grew up so much! Anyway, so he shows up and it was decided that-" He watches her go on and on with a light in her eyes that screamed 'child-like adoration' as she describes everything down to the desserts on the table.

"I'm sure you're pretty anxious to get back there then. I'm sorry for waking you."

Her eyes suddenly widen at his apology. "No! I'm sorry for falling asleep while watching the television with you!"

"Would you say you're a heavy sleeper, Mogami-san?"

"Not usually, but I think I'm a tad more tired today. I don't usually feel quite so- Wait! What are you even doing up, Tsuruga-san? Are you getting enough sleep every night? Did you need me to make you some tea to help you sleep? I know of a good one I was taught the recipe for back at the ryokan when I wasn't able to sleep." She gets up before she even finishes speaking and is opening the cupboards for everything to put it together in a whirlwind. _That is surely why he got me up! Why else would it be? I'll do it happily since I so rudely fell asleep earlier!_ She sets off with this purpose while putting the water to boil on high. "If you are working so much that you can't even get the proper amount of sleep, I think you are working too much!" She pauses in her work to look over at him. "You need to properly take care of your body, Tsuruga-san!" She narrows her eyes at him, which really turns out to be just shy of a full-on glare by the end. "If you can't provide the basics of health towards yourself, then your body _will_ end up failing you on set and people will start questioning your professionalism and your image will be tainted!"

He holds his hands up in mock surrender as a bemused smile shows on his face. She gets everything set and pours it all out while he looks at the change of character. _Everything is just like how it normally is. She doesn't remember a thing and is even making tea on auto-pilot. But wait...where's Natsu? Did I do something wrong and now she is awake too much and Natsu can't get back?_ Glad that he had already gotten rid of the junk food wrapper display before she got up, he watches her get two new cups without even a second thought to the ones already there. He takes a fake sip of the tea after saying a word of thanks to her and watches her drink the tea that she made. They chat idly for a while about the next day as Ren makes a mental note to hae Yashiro cancel their morning's work at least so they have the time to properly rest.

He keeps an eye on her and notices when the tea hits her system. A little quicker on the uptake the second time around, he smoothly catches the girl and her cup before they call to the floor. After first setting the cup onto the counter and away from the edge, he looks at the girl's face again for a change.

Fists go up and rub her eyes while a big, sloppy yawn leaves her mouth. Her hand reaches up and shoves her hair back, messily tousling it as it goes. Her eyes look up at him and a smirk plays across her face as she sits up.

 _That sure isn't Natsu. She wouldn't be so careless...but who is it?_ While preparing for almost anything that the new character could throw at him, Ren is still shocked when English makes it up to his ears.

"What's up?"


	8. Chapter 8

"Excuse me?" Ren's mind temporarily falters.

"Oh! Right. I'm sorry about that." She switches back to Japanese. "You're probably more better...sorry. I mean, you're probably better with this one, aren't you?" I ought to have remembered that really."

"I can hold my own in English, thank you very much," Ren says, kind of naturally miffed by her tone of voice, switching back to his native language easily as if taking up a challenge.

"Okay, sure, we'll go at it this way," she switches back, smiling at his competitiveness.

"So who are you, and where did Natsu go?" _Definitely not Setsuka, which is a given since I stayed out of Cain like she said to, and something tells me it's not Mio, which I'm kind of relieved about. I don't really want to see her. Her voice is a little deeper...tomboy maybe? Maybe a guy? If a chick could pull off Peter Pan flawlessly, then no doubt Kyoko could be a guy for an act._

"No doubt you'd rather sit with that chic lady than a regular guy like me, but I won rock-paper-scissors, so you're outta luck there. Best two outta three right before the little miss conked-out by the hand of her little potion there," he points to the near-empty glass on the bar. "I wouldn't advise drinking it if you want to talk, though I am quite surprised that it isn't just made with crushed sleeping pills. On the flip-side though, I'm a little scared that she was able to whip this up with things from your kitchen. I've heard it runs sparse, so I wonder what she used." She reaches over to snag Ren's glass from him sniffs it, taking only a minuscule sip. "Chamomile, maybe, but no doubt there's more in there than that. Hmm...the amount of chamomile would probably be the equivalent to the amount of vanilla extract in cookies I'd say."

"But _who are you_?" Ren questions, not caring about cookies or the tea at the moment.

"You don't remember me? Wow." He puts his hand to his chest like he's been shot with an arrow. "I'm hurt. I'm truly wounded. THE Tsuruga Ren doesn't even remember meeting me?" He leans back on the stool, careful not to fall off in his theatrics, and drapes his hand palm side up over his forehead like a 1950s swooning girl in the sight of something terrible. _That reminds me of mom when she's say she had only ten more minutes to live._ "Now that hurts me, considering I'm kind of a fan."

"Oh spare me the dramatics and tell me who you are," he huffs, annoyed with his antics.

He sits back with a cheeky grin, sticks out his hand for a handshake and says the last thing he ever would have guessed. "Nice to see ya again, Mr. Ren! I'm Corn."

Ren numbly shakes his hand. "Corn?"

"Sorry, no. Dad said it was said differently here, and it looks like he was right again. Why he didn't just name me something normal, I don't know. Said it had to do with heritage or something. It's Kuon Hizuri. Wait, you people say it backwards here, don't you? Then I guess it should be 'Hizuri Kuon'." He cocks his head to the side at an angle a bit like a dog would while listening to something. "You know, that just sounds weird considering we are speaking English anyway, but you get the picture I suppose."

Ren finally speaks, thinking about the game Kuon apparently won. "So you guys interact with one another?"

"Usually not this much I suppose, but on occasion we do. It's good either way. How should I explain it..." He taps his index finger on his chin a couple times. "I think an analogy or whatever it was that fits this would be how people call Halloween a time for spirits and what-have-you walk the Earth. Kyoko being in this state of tiredness in a certain situation is pretty much our Halloween. It only happens once in a blue moon."

"So you're all just having fun?"

"Well, not everyone...There are ones like Mio and Setsuka who don't really care about it and then there's the one-timers who aren't really there anyway."

"'One-timers'?"

"That's what I call characters like A-kun, who didn't really have much of a character or a name, and Flora, who may have had a complete profile, but was only needed to prove a point. Kyoko only needed them one or two times and there isn't that much to their characters and she wasn't really connected to them. They don't really bother with showing up."

"You don't consider yourself a one-timer?" _He was only called for once, right? It was only for that acting thing with dad..._

"No, I actually come and go whenever she needs it and whenever Father shows up. Although, I don't actually do that much taking over anymore...I guess it could be guidance thing now, like helping her be comfortable with calling him 'Father' and just being comfortable there. When I was first put together and was playing around with Father, I heard about her past inside of her head. I felt her...take herself back...a memory had flashed through her head, freezing her mid-motion and she suddenly became so unsure of how to deal with Father's love. It was horrible, looking at all what went on, so I decided that she deserved Father too. But that was so bad. She was even brought to tears at one point because she never felt anything like that towards her and was just so overwhelmed by the love..." he trails off in his own thought.

"Yeah...imagine hearing all that first hand," Ren mumbles, not really thinking that he was talking out loud or even loud enough for the boy to hear him clearly.

"What do you mean, 'first hand'?" He scoffs shy of arrogantly. "I'm about as 'first hand' as it gets by being in her head at the time, feeling her reactions to her own memories at certain space of time that day." He sits back, waving the comment Ren made off like it was nothing at all and even slightly chuckles. "You couldn't _possibly_ have heard it worse than me unless-" he stiffens and sits up straighter, scrutinizing Ren as he leans forward in his stool, kind of jaw-slacked. He goes back through all of the memories that he and Kyoko has combined, and compares all of the data that Kyoko has taken in, and factors in time. Ren watches as a conclusion forms in th guy's mind and dawns on his face.

"You have got to be kidding me," he deadpans.


	9. Chapter 9

"No way. No _freaking_ way!"

"What?" Ren asks, sounding a little light-hearted as his stomach fills with an unnamable dread.

"When are you going to let her know that you were...are Corn, 'Ren'?"

"Corn as in the-"

"The fairy prince from her childhood way back when. Who is, so conveniently, _me_."

"There is a long two minutes of silence as they just stare at one another before Ren decides to speak. "How...uh, how did you figure that one out?"

"Well, it wasn't _that_ freaking hard. Any idiot could see the whole thing perfectly with the right data, and lucky enough for you, Ren, your little girlfriend here is _quite_ the collector!"

"Data?"

"Physical data. Any information picked up here and there. And then there are things that don't quite match up with what she says and she thinks." The memory of her reaction after figuring out he was Cain and the memory of her confusion while thinking about the likeness between him and...well, him himself.

"Oh. Wait, so she knows that I...?"

"No, she doesn't bloody know!" Kuon pinches the top of his nose between his thumb and middle finger like when someone gets a headache from a situation. "She is too dimwitted by the notion of fairies and all of this to get it!" He narrows his eyes at Ren. "And you sure as hell didn't fix anything back in Guam."

"I thought you were supposed to be the ten-year-old me. I didn't swear then," Ren gives a half-smile. _It wasn't until a year and a half later that my language deteriorated._

"Then I guess you didn't really realise she was aiming for a young teen version, so after Father told her the age group, she adjusted me herself to what she thinks the 'natural progression' of a teenage boy in American living in the area of Los Angeles with parents like mom and dad are."

"Can you tell me what she thinks she knows then?"

"I'll tell you how I found out first." Ren nods and Kuon continues. "Father's description of the younger me matched the fairy prince she met a decade ago in that clearing in Kyoto. The fairy prince grown up and waltzing around Guam matched you in physical data and little nuances in your guys' speech and specific 'Cain-like' behaviour. What she calls your 'divine smile' as Ren matched smiles she got from Guam Corn. The 'puppy-dog eyes' are seen for all three of you guys. Now, Father praised her acting as little Kuon, a.k.a. _me_ , and said it matched _perfect_ _ly_ his son from around ten years ago, confirming the thought that little prince Corn was me. Little Corn matched little Kuon, big Corn matches you. You just provided the stitch from 'Ren' to little Corn that cinches it all nicely together. Easy, peas-y, and wrap a bow on it."

"That is...perfect. You got it perfectly. And now that we bot get I'm essentially talking with myself, why doesn't _she_ get it then?"

"Because of her quirk about believing in fairies so strongly, you have kept Corn all to his own self. He is his own person and in her mind, does not connect with me or you."

"How is that even possible? She found me out as Cain with that proportion scale thing she has going on, so why not Corn?"

"There was a second or two where she almost considered it an explanation for the matching smile you guys had. The grudges were trying to help her solve the issue and was holding a whole meeting over it. They had the whole group on it with a side-by-side comparison that nearly broke it all wide open right in the middle of the street and in front of others. But they listened to her at the last moment and decided to follow their master on her thoughts."

"What was it that she thought up?"

"My friend," Kuon puts his hand on Ren's shoulder and looks into his eyes in sympathy, "she thinks you have fairy blood in your bloodline."

It sinks into Ren's head, and he just face-palms. "Of course. That's it."

"Yeah." Kuon pulls back and smiles brightly. "Said it also explained your handsome good looks and standing in society as an actor and the country's most desired bachelor."

"She hasn't said anything about this to m though...Considering it as to do with me and her favourite fairies, you would think she would say _something_ about it."

Kuon just shakes his head. "Nope. She figured you didn't even know and that you wouldn't believe her if she told you anything. But she did promise Corn in her head that she would look after his people's possible descendant and try keep him from harm."

"You know what, that sounds just like her actually."

They sit like that for a while, letting the new revelation sink in. "So why are you 'Ren'? What happened to me to do...this?" He points to the brown locks. So Ren tells him the story from leaving Japan from that fateful trip ten years ago, filling him in on the gap of time. By the end of the tale, it is three-thirty in the morning and Ren shoots a text off to Yashiro to go ahead and clear the schedules like he had planned a couple hours ago. "Wow."

"Yup," Ren says, twirling the empty glass in his hand from when he poured himself a stronger drink to get through the story. Seeing the mark on his finger from earlier had faded, he presses his thumbnail into his finger again.

"It's going to turn out fine though once you tell her."

Ren looks up at Kuon. "What?"

"I'll help when you tell her everything, Ren. I'll soften the blow if I can. She's going to think that you were laughing at her the whole time with the fairy thing though, so you'll have to figure out how to counter that, but she won't be mad with you being Kuon. She's too compassionate for that."

"Thanks."

"No problem. I want my love to work out too. And before you ask, I do know you love her. Which means I do too."

"I fell for her when I was your age."

"I think she fell for you too, but the loyal bone in her body kept her from admitting it to anyone. Even herself."

"So...what does that mean for right now?"

"That means it is time I tell you...about the box."


	10. Chapter 10

"I understand that Natsu has told you about the box briefly."

"She said those grudges came from it after learning about Fuwa's real feelings towards her and everything, right?"

"Yup. Good memory we've got there. Box opened up, let out grudges, then she shut her ability for romantic love in the box tight with a whole bunch of little locks so she wouldn't fall in love again."

"That, uh, doesn't sound so good."

"No duh, Sherlock."

"How am I supposed to break those locks?"

"Don'tya mean 'how is it that I actually broke all those locks?'?"

"What?" Ren asks, bewildered.

"You already did it, man." He gets a thumbs-up sign from Kuon. "Broke all those locks open. The last one broke the day the Boss was at the Tragic Marker set. In fact, he saw it break. The next time you two went to the office, he got it out of her. He got her to admit it."

"That a lock broke? He knows about the box and all?"

"No, idiot. He got her to admit that she loves you."

"She...that she..."

"She doesn't want to though. She thinks that she isn't worthy of being loved by you, so she is squashing it down, but can't get it to go away all the way because of the broken locks. But she doesn't even think that there is a remote _possibility_ of you looking her way."

"That's a bit extreme. What made her think that way?"

"You did."

"What? When?!"

"When you told her that you loved some high school chick!"

"A high schooler? But the only one that I told that to was...oh no."

"You get it now?"

"Oh for the love of God, how many high schoolers does she think I meet?"

Kuon holds his hands up in front of him in surrender. "Don't ask me; ask her." _Well that's rich, coming from you._

"And why didn't she tell me she was Bo all along?"

"Hey, I actually know that one. The grudges had said that it is part embarrassment, and part the fact that you wouldn't have talked to her about your problems if you knew it was someone close to you. She thought you would be mad about it."

"I couldn't e mad about that."

"But she doesn't _know_ that, Ren."

He sighs and puts his head on the table. _What do I do? She won't believe me about everything, would she?_ Ren looks at the girl next to him. He had even forgotten that 'Kuon' is actually a girl in real life during their conversation. _This is a lot to take in in the middle of the night._

"Okay, Kuon. Let's think of a plan."

"What do you have in mind there, other me?"

"Operation total reveal."

It is around seven in the morning when they finally notice the time after Ren's phone goes off after Yashiro figured it was a more appropriate time to call and hold a conversation. Ren puts the call on speaker for Kuon next to him. "You want the whole day off now?"

Ren looks at the kid next to him before he nods. Ren switches to Japanese while talking to Yashiro. "Yes, Yukihito. I know it will be hard to do, but I haven't slept a wink all night, and I still have to talk to Kyoko."

"So it's 'Kyoko' now, huh?" _I can almost hear him make that evil little grin that always comes up when something happens between us._ "Since when has this happened?"

"I know it will be tough to move things around and probably will be worked on most of the morning, so I guess I'll let you go n-"

"Please just tell me this one thing, Ren, or so help your phone the next time I get my hands on it." Kuon laughs at Ren's face when Yashiro deliver's his threat. "Ren? Who's there?"

" **I'm here, Yukihito. And I'm the one who said he should start calling her Kyoko. And it's about time, right?** " Ren's eyes widen slightly as Kuon speaks quicker in English and with a voice just different enough that no one would suspect it would be Kyoko's body. Remarkably though, it sounded like how Ren did back then on the home videos that mom and dad had made. _But that is the point I guess...it's just weird though._

"Who was that? What did they say? What's going on with Kyoko-chan? What's going on there?"

"It's no one. **That was off, Kuon. Did dad show you a tape or something? You got the voice just right.** "

" **Really? That's great! But no, there were no videos. It's just from Kyoko's memories and calculations while figuring puberty.** "

" **It's just on this side of creepy.** "

"Would you please answer me?"

"Kyoko is fine. She's...resting. Kuon's here, and he's the one who said I should call her that. In fact, he said 'it's about time'. As for what's going on, I'm about ready to sleep on my feet, so goodbye, Yukihito. Oh, and tell the president I said hello, and if either of you guys come to my apartment today, there will be hell to pay." He hangs up the phone and they both laugh while making eye contact. "Well, I'm beat." He says, back in English. "The plan is here," he takes the paper that has notes on it and slips it between a couple books on a shelf, "now let's finally go to bed." He goes to his room to change, not knowing he's followed him.

"Wait!" Ren looks at her, expecting her to be red-faced since he already took his shirt off. "Give me your hand."

"Why?"

"So you don't think that this was all a dream." Kuon takes a pen they were using and makes a big X on the back of his hand. "And, I have no night clothes, which I suppose isn't a surprise since we didn't exactly plan this."

"And?" _Amazing. There is not even a hint of shame on him even after noticing I was changing. Either she doesn't see me as a man, or she fully is one right now, and not one that's attracted to men."_

"So give me some clothes to borrow, Ren."

He leaves for a moment to grab a shirt and drawstring shorts he works out in only to come back and tnd she's already stripped herself of her shirt and her skirt was following. A slightest red hue graces Ren's cheeks as he looks around the woman. "Uh, Kyoko?"

"Still Kuon, Ren." _You don't_ look _like a guy, though!_

"Why are you getting dressed in _here_?"

"I didn't say anything about you still being in your boxers, so give me those clothes." He dresses efficiently and heads over to the bed, clombing in.

"Now what are you doing?"

"Getting rest. Her mind may think it's been out for this long, but this body needs sleep."

"She would freak while waking up there."

"Wonderful icebreaker, right?" Kuon drawls while settling in the sheets. "Just come one. We're both tired. Or do I have to get Natsu to get you to come to bed?"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming." He pulls on his pajama bottoms and darkens the room to near blackness with black-out curtains. He sighs once more before sliding into bed next to his life-long love.


	11. Chapter 11

"Are you sure that is _exactly_ what he said?"

"Yes, I'm positive. There was even another voice there that didn't sound like Mogami-san."

"How did it sound?"

"Uh...male. Maybe American? He was speaking English pretty quickly, so I couldn't catch a lot of it, but there was my, and Kyoko's, given names, and at the end of when he first spoke sounded like a question. Ren spoke in English with this person about something nd said this 'Kuon' told him to just call Mogami-san Kyoko."

"Kuon?"

"Yes, sir. I was led to believe that that is the identity of the other man there.

There is a measure of silence between the two. "What are the chances that Ren could have a friend that you as his manager wouldn't have a clue about?"

"Slim to none. I take pride in knowing pretty much all aspects of my charge's life, but he really doesn't have one outside of work."

"That's what I was afraid of."

The office is quiet for a moment as they think before something comes back to Yashiro. "Oh, president? There was this one time when someone appeared and seemed like a friend of Ren's. He at least welcomed him with an honest smile and set apart some time for him. Blew me away because I don't remember meeting that chicken before."

"A chicken? Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, sir, I'm fine, and it was a chicken. But when Ren had the time to befriend a chicken...I do not know. I tried asking him about it later, but he didn't say anything more than 'he has helped me out of a rough patch before' and 'he's just an old friend' and that was that."

"Why does a chicken sound familiar?" The president asks, more to himself.

"I don't know. I thought Ren was going mad. Even named the thing Bo."

"Bo!"

"Look, it may not be the _best_ name for a chicken, but-"

"It's a real chicken!"

"What?" _You have got to be kidding me. president._

"Kigamure Rock over at TBM has a chicken mascot named Bo!"

"So the chicken is real, big whoop. I want to know who this Kuon character is and why he hasn't helped until now on their relationship!"

"And if this chicken is Kuon?"

"Oh. That would make sense."

"I had the LoveMe girls go over on Kigamure Rock's first taping because their mascot was sick and Kyoko was the one put in the suit."

"So it's Mogami-san?"

"Well it isn't Kotonami-san." Yashiro nods in agreement. There was no way that girl would be caught dead in a chicken suit. "Trouble is that Kyoko had a bit of trouble with the first guest and was fired over her actions.

"I can't believe that. She is just too nice to everybody. So nice it even causes misunderstandings. Who was the first guest?"

"Fuwa Sho."

"Never mind, I can definately believe that. They hate each other!"

"So I guess the question is, 'who replaced her?'." The president stands up from his couch and moves to his desk with Yashiro following him. "It was only for that week and the show has been going strong since that first questionable airing, so I'm guessing their guy came back. I'll call Sawara and Check with him." It takes a second try on the phone before thy are connected to the guy in charge of managering the lovely ladies in pink. After a minute of small talk and polite catch-up, the president strikes. "Het, do you know who plays the chicken on Kigamure Rock?" The line is so silent that the president had to make sure he was still connected. "Hello? Sawara? Hello?"

The reason for the silence was not an obvious one to those around him. As soon as the president asked, a memory came to him of Mogami Kyoko asking him to _never_ tell _anybody_ that she was Bo. He didn't think that the president was included in that lot, but right before he started speaking, Sawara-san felt a distinct pressure in the air and the immediate air around him drop a couple degrees in temperature. There was a slight pressure around his wrists that crawled upward and he could almost hear the grudges that surrounded his house before order compliance. "No, sir. I do not know," he chokes out through his fear and was subsequently released. The air warmed up considerably.

"Oh. Okay." The president replies glumly. "Thank you, Sawara. That was all." He hangs up and looks to Yashiro. "He doesn't know who plas him."

"And TBM isn't only your people, so you can't poke your nose in too much. I mean, who knows? You may reveal someone else's' 'Cain'."

"Alright, so what are the clues to go on? Named Kun. American male. Speaks fluent English. Knows Ren. He's un Japn now, so he must have some ties here if Ren isn't the only one." They sit in quiet for a minute. "The only one I know who fits the bill is impossible!"

"You know someone who fits that bill? Who?"

The president puts his head in his hands, defeated by this puzzle. "Hizuri Kuon. Kuu and Julie's son that disappeared when he was fifteen."

"Oh...that is big stuff...but Ren is a famous enough person, so mabe they have bumped elbows?"

"And you're _sure_ it wasn't Kyoko?"

"Sir, it wasn't her. It didn't even sound close to the same. Besides, Kuon and Ren both seemed tired and there is _no_ way that Kyoko would atay up that late with Ren at this point in time because she looks after his health and professionalism. Especially if she knows he has work the next day. He said she was resting and he hadn't slept at all last night, which would account for the slight irritability and the vague threat at the end. I'm sticking with it isn't Kyoko, so why are you so sure it wasn't this Hizuri Kuon person?"

"Because Hizuri Kuon is on his own 'Cain'-like assignment and only I and his parents know exactly who and where he is," the president reveals.

"Well...that puts a damper on _that_."

"Too bad you didn't record it."

"I'm not in the habit of recording calls."

"Yes, but _I_ am. I delete them afterward if there isn't information I really need and the stores are wiped every two weeks for privacy and security issues. I just wish I knew what they were saying when you couldn't understand."

"You know English that well, sir?"

"I know a lot of languages well, but yes, I know English. Had to. I dabbled as Hizuri Kuu's manager for a month when he moved to America. He said he didn't trust the people over there yet. And he pretty much refused to let me speak Japanese. It may have been a while ago, but I decided that it was a necessary skill. Do you know English, Yashiro?"

"I can read the language quite well and hear it so-so, but if it's too fast, it all goes over my head."

"I think you should overcome that. If Ren becomes an international star, then his manager should be able to catch-up. He already speaks English well."

"'Well'?! He sounded _fluent_ on the phone!"

"Well then, when Ren is off of work, rare day that it is, let's get your English communications up. We'll start them here and now."

"With you?" _How did we get from what I came in here for to this?"_

"Yes, now repeat after me..."


	12. Chapter 12

"Idiot."

"What now?" _I literally_ just _laid down. Can't I get some rest as well?_

"You know this isn't a good idea." He pins down the voice as he hears more words clearly.

"Natsu, if I want to sleep with my newfound self, I think I should be able to."

"But _Kyoko_ will be the one waking up Kuon. Or did your little pea-brain head forget that little detail?"

"She should get used to waking up with him," he brushes it off. "She'll be with him eventually."

"Yes, but this is _Kyoko_. That prude went into a mental whirlpool just by being kissed by this guy. _On the cheek_. And you have doomed her to wake up with him? _In his arms?_ "

"But I don't want to move," he whines. "She's getting too heavy with exhaustion every minute and I'm pretty much wiped as it is for holding her for so long."

"But we are _all_ going to hear about this when she gets up!"She hisses at him as she tried to get a hold on Kyoko again and fails.

"If _I_ can't move her at all anymore, _you_ sure as hell can't, Natsu. And it's not like we can team up on this."

"Well think of a plan, hotshot, because Mio gets tempermental when Kyoko is in distress and it will be _your_ fault."

"Fine." He stews on it for a while, and just when he's about to throw in the towel, he thinks of a possibly simple solution. "What you just be there to smooth things over when she wakes up?"

"What?"

"Well, cover her feelings of shock, embarrassment, and despair. Let other emotions play Forward this time and get her not to be so defensive. Put some slight offensive feelings and actions in her head and make it seem natural. She didn't have you with the kiss on the cheek that Valentine's Day. I can't see where you couldn't make her at least feel things are alright."

 _Damn that boy for trying to put a challenge to me...but_ "do you think it'll actually work?"

"If it's you, Natsu, it's gonna work. Now that's all I got. If you have another plan than that, be my guest, but I am heading to sleep."

He leaves her with her thoughts. It takes a while for her to find the motivation to go along with his plan. What pushes her in the end is the thought that Mio found out that Kuon had a solid plan and that she herself didn't go along for the goodness of everybody here, then _she_ would be out of luck, not him.


	13. Chapter 13

_Mmm...it's so warm in here._ Kyoko snuggles closer to the source of the heat happily. _I could stay like this forever!_ Then she notices an odd weight at her waist that isn't normal, so she tries to get away from it, but it gets heavier. _Or is it tighter?_ She opens her eyes and all she sees in the darkness is skin in front of her face. _Wait. That isn't right. Something doesn't add up here._ Her mind tries to wake up a little more. Anxiety tries to rise to the surface, but it's smothered somehow, forcefully twisting it around into curiosity. She studies what's in front of her eyes and noticing that it's moving slightly every so often, and that it is most definitely human. _Who is it though? Where am I again? Why am I lying next to them? Why is he so warm? And comfortable? And smells kind of good?_ Her cheek rubs on his chest and she sighs contently, forgetting about her worry and weight across her waist with her sleepy mind, even as the person shifts her closer. _You know what? Never mind._ She lets go of any hesitation. _I feel relaxed and so does this person, obviously. It isn't often I feel this comfortable...let's just stay like this a while more. It's late anyway._ So she dozes off again to the slow, steady beat of Ren's heart as he sleeps.

Natsu takes a breath, having dodged a bullet. It wasn't unnatural for her to be in the control room, as she had to be there for when Kyoko acts, but she felt like soon one of the grudges may question her tweaking things here and there. The grudges didn't move anything on the control board after coming out of the box, but begrudgingly lets the spirits mess around as she is in and out of character. _Kuon owes me is I get caught intentionally changing Kyoko out of my character or without her choosing. Apart from times like last night at least. I'll even make Ren owe me more if I can._ She laughs in her head, picturing last night. _The grudges really like Ren's bewildered expression. They even left the spirits in peace in the room last night, leaving us in charge._ Natsu watches the little screen with Kyoko's current dreams on it while waiting for the next time she would be needed. Her only tweak to the dream to suit her own taste was to dim the sparkles and, to help Kyoko, make Ren the 'prince' character.

.o.0.o.

The next time Kyoko wakes up, she find she most definitely has to move, so she carefully removes herself from the bed in order to get up and used the restroom, which she finds easily for being half asleep. It's only after that is done that she looks around the bathroom and wonder where she is, not recognising the master bath that is connected to Ren's room. Again, the feeling of nervousness tries to rear its head, but it's sidetracked as she spies something on top of the counter. She picks up the little case on the counter next to an open bottle of solution. _Contacts? Huh. Do I know of anyone with glasses? Wait, I know Yashiro-san! He has glasses, so does that mean I'm at his house?_ There is nothing else telling her anything about where she is at, so she wanders back into the dark room silently, barely making out the bed. _Well, the alarm clock says two-thirty, so if it is this early, I don't think waking the person up would be the wisest thing. Besides, I still feel kind of tired. We'll just deal with this in the morning, at a more appropriate time of the day._ With that settled, her legs move apart from her mind to make tracks for the bed and climb in. She snuggles in close to her adopted heater that gladly welcomes her back. _This isn't so bad, I guess._

 _It's always easier working wth a half-asleep person...changes to their behaviour doesn't take as much work and it is relatively unnoticeable to the grudges here. Next time though, I'll probably be brought in for questioning though. Might as well go talk to Kuon about what he owes me then._

.o.0.o.

When the clock reads four-thirteen, Kyoko wakes up for the last time, noticing right away that her heater as left her. After getting over that loss, she notices the smell of coffee in the air and the shower in the connected room is running. _It's too early to be up though,_ _she thinks, but then realises that she doesn't feel tired herself anymore. Let's hope he's made enough for me,_ she thinks as she yawns. After stretching out her muscles, she walks out of the darkened room to stop like a deer in the headlights in the sun-brightened apartment she instantly recognises as Tsuruga Ren's.

Panic starts her heart beating quickly as her mind tries to take in the fact that she was most likely sharing a bed with the man of the apartment a short while ago. However, like a connection being cut with the force of a machete against weeds, she is calmer suddenly. Unknown to her, Natsu having cut her panic down in her brain entirely, and will soon be up against the grudges. _Well look at that. I didn't know that button did that. Hmm...and now it's broken_. She laughs as the grudges start circling her, having caught her final act. _She isn't the normal Kyoko now, but hopefully this stalls her reactions a tad. Enough for it all to come upon her gradually. But hey, maybe now she'll react like a normal human for once._ Natsu is led away from the scene of the crime in cuffs in front of her with an air of confidence and carelessness as the grudges call up repairmen to get to work on the mess of the steaming control board. While they wait for the mess to be fixed, they set Kyoko's controls to a default palate from the closet manually. They check the other systems, noting that only emotional responses were crossed, not physical reaction.

 _Sun? Isn't it four in the morning? Wh is it lower in the sky?_ She brushes the questions aside and pours herself some of the coffee into a mug from by the coffee maker and checks the cupboards. _That man hardly keeps anything in the house, so I'll have to go out to make things for the next meal._ After drinking the rest of the mug quickly, she sets te washer for their clothes to start in a half hour, hoping it's enough time for him to get out of the shower before putting her shoes on, grabbing her purse, and heading out to the little store around the block they frequent.

.o.0.o.

Ren dresses quickly after getting out of the shower and finishes scrubbing off that penned X that told him that last night had actually happened and wasn't a dream. He steps back into the black room, realising after a minute of squinting through the dark and adjusting to it, that his precious girl wasn't even there anymore. He opens up the curtains after that revelation and leaves the room to look for her. "Kyoko?" He looks around the living room and the kitchen area for signs of life, but all he finds is his coffee mug, still slightly warm from use, which should be weird, but doesn't catch his attention. He fills the mug again and sips from it, moseying towards the guest room. _Maybe she still felt tired and didn't feel like sleeping in my bed anymore._ "Hey Kyoko?" He calls softly into the room, but gets no answer. Peering inside, the room is devoid of life. _Now where did she run off to?_ He goes back into his room and finds her clothes gone. On a hunch, he goes to the door to see that her shoes and bag are gone, but that there isn't a note. _Please tell me she didn't just bolt without thinking!_ He puts the coffee down, grabs his phone, and calls Yashiro.

"Hello, Ren? How did you sl-?"

"Have you heard from Kyoko? She seems to have left without a note. I didn't have the chance to tll her that I had you cancel everything today, so she may be in a panic and headed to LME-"

"I messaged-"

The washer starts in the other room and Ren's ears perk up at the sound as a dog's would. "Nevermind. I think I just heard her in the laundry room." He hangs up without saying anything more and makes his way to the named room, only to find her not there either. He picks up his phone to call her cell, thinking that he really should have done that first instead of calling Yashiro. The noise of electronic bells and flutes is hunted down to a little pink phone, not unlike his own, left on the side table next to the couch from where he put it after calling her kinda-guardians last night. His mind is left to wonder at what may have happened to her as he sits there, staring at this pink piece of technology that won't give him the answers he wants.

He starts when the front door is opened and closed, so he walks over to find his Kyoko slipping on the slippers he got just for her here with a couple of plastic bags and her purse on her arms. "Good morning!" She says, brightly, but then looks confused. "No, that's obviously wrong. It's afternoon, so it's 'good afternoon!', bot morning I guess."

"You went to the store?"

"Yes. I had to go. Don't you think it would be good to keep some food here? More than one or two meals at a time? I mean, what if there was a typhoon or something and you couldn't go out? You would starve, and I would be sitting over at the Dayaruma, worried sick that you wouldn't make it!"

"We can't have that..."

"I know!"

"I guess that means that I'll have to get you to stock up my house."

"Good idea." She goes into the kitchen and starts whatever it is she chose to make.

"But I can't cook, so it would be pointless in the long run."

She thinks about it for a moment, remembering the Maui Omurice he made. "Hmm...then I guess when a storm is expected to arrive, I should just come over here to make you something. That way I can be at peace of mind." She looks across the counter. "Oh, I thought I finished that before I went out." She grabs the mug of coffee off of the counter and drinks from it before Ren could tell her that it was his. _That would only trouble her mind._

"You went out in that?" He motions to her clothes. Or rather, his clothes on her body.

"Yes, I did. I was thinking about changing into mine again, but decided that they needed washing. Oh! Has it started already?"

"It did. I didn't know that it had a delayed start setting on it, so I had thought you were in there."

"It was my first time doing something like that, so I wasn't sure I could actually set it correctly, but I'm glad that it did start. _Screw wanting to see her cook in her own apron here like a new wife...I kind of like her walking around comfortably in mt shirt like now._

"Not that I don't mind or anything, but why aren't you freaking out like you normally would?" He sees her slightly tense.

Her brows shift in slight confusion. "What would I have to freak out about?" _It isn't like anything_ too _indecent happened. We just slept near one another._

"Well, for one, it's about five in the afternoon. I thought you would be freaked out about missing work or something." _The fact that you woke up in my bed._ He thinks back to just before the shower. _I felt like I was in heaven, waking up with you in my arms. That was hands-down the best sleep I've gotten in a long time._

"Oh, I saw a message from Yashiro-san about saying the day was pretty clear. I just had one LoveMe jo that I should be able to make since they couldn't find a replacement for." _Oh yeah, he was saying something about a message._ "And if it's about sleeping this late into the day, I guess I really must have needed it if I was out that well. Same for you, Tsuruga-san. I guess while I tried getting you to look after your own health more, I neglected mine just enough that I just shut down or something."

"Oh, okay then." _I didn't think she would be that quick with an excuse for herself. If I didn't know better, I would have believed that was it._

"I didn't know you wore glasses, Tsuruga-san," she comments offhandedly, remembering the case slightly from earlier.

 _What?_ "I don't wear glasses."

She stops stirring the pot of soup and looks at him watching her. "I thought you did."

"I haven't ever needed to apart from a few acting roles that called for it." He looks at her confusedly. "What on Earth would make you think that I did?"

"Wait, you're saying that you have perfect vision?"

"Twenty/twenty, all my life, yes."

She stares at his for a while, absently stirring the boiling pot on auto-pilot. "So why do you have contacts?"


	14. Chapter 14

"Contacts?" Ren's confused now, thinking of what is all in the main bathroom for the apartment, even in the medicine cabinet the Yashiro stocks. _Yukihito and I have pulled all-nighters before and he has slept in the guest room, but I don't_ think _he left anything...it has been a while too, with Kyoko here and all..._

"Unless Yashiro-san keeps his here, but I don't ses why he would. And if he wore contacts, why does he always wear glasses?"

"He has one spare pair of contacts to go to places like the beach and stuff, but they feel uncomfortable to him normally," Ren says, not really thinking about it. "But why would I have his stuff here?"

"That's what I'm wondering! And if it is here, why the master bath? Of all places...unless you and he-" Her eyes slightly widen coming to some false conclusion.

"Wait, the _master_ bath?" She pours the soup into bowls and he sets the table like usual.

"Eh? Yes, the master bath, Tsuruga-san. That _is_ what it's called, right?"

"Yes, but I thought you were talking about the other one." _Don't tell me I just left them on the counter after taking them off for Kuon this morning...I normally put them behind the mirror, but I think I forgot this time. Oh well, it's not like I wasn't planning on telling her someday, and this gives me the opening._ "Yes, those ones are mine."

She sits down with a puzzled frown. "But I thought you said that your vision was perfect and that you have never needed them."

"Yes, I did say that to you."

"Then why do you have them?"

"They go on my eyes."

"But you can see without them."

"Yes."

"So...why?"

"I'll show you after we're done eating." They silently eat their meal, Kyoko puzzled by the contact situation and Ren anxious about the plan being changed and bumped up so soon. _I hope Kuon...well...I hope the other other me...the one in her...damn it, I sound bonkers even to myself. I just hope that that man is able to help in some way still._ They quietly wash up the dishes together and she puts the clothes into the dryer. He then beckons her to follow him into the master bath connected to his room. "Alright. This will be a bit...much to take in. I suppose you should take a seat first..." He looks around for an appropriate place to put her before just lifting her up onto the counter, and she sits compliantly, yet shocked and wide-eyed that he held her so casually, but as the grudges were only halfway through repairs, she doesn't overreact. "Where's Kuon?"

Kyoko blinks at the sudden question. "Uh, what?"

"The character that you played with your adoptive-in-a-way Father, Hizuri-san. I need you to have him on stand-by, but do not let him take over, kinda like you're between takes? I want you at the forefront, not him."

"What's going on?" She asks, guardedly.

"Just...do it. I hope you'll figure out the 'why' in a bit."

"Fine." She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before opening her eyes and giving him a nod.

"Okay. Now, please do not freak out until you know the facts."

"Fine, fine, let's just get this overwith," she sighs and Ren peers into her eyes closely, sensing something off, but not like last night...or rther, this morning. _There's a certain spark missing here, and with that less-than-respectful tone...her posture as slackened considerably compared to her usual too..._

"I said _don't_ hide behind him."

He watches her eyes slide back to normal, her back straightening out as she folds her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry, Tsuruga-san, it's hard to just have him here without-"

"I got it, but is he still somewhere?"

"Yes, but why do you want hi-"

"You'll know why in a while. First, the contacts. No, wait." _My God, my mind's a jumble. What was first in the list again?_ "Remember when that stalker person was talking to you in Kariuzawa?"

"That Beagle?!" Her eyebrows fly upwards. "What does that demon have to do with this?"

 _Are you kidding me?_ That _guy is the one who would be able to tell me more on those grudge things?_ "Remember when he told you that the name 'Tsuruga Ren' was a stage name?"

"Yeah, you said afterwards that there was a fifty-fifty chance that he would be right and it was luck that he got it right."

"So you remember that 'Tsuruga Ren' is a stage name? That it's made up and used instead of my real one?"

Ren can practically read on her face the questions 'where are you going with this?' and 'how does this fit?'. "Yes."

"Well, it's a bit different than changing a name or using part of a name like you and Fuwa do. It's more like a 'Cain Heel' kind of thing really, but a long and super top secret project."

"You're a different actor posing and being another high-level actor because you can't do it with the image of the first?" _This girl can some things with detailed precision, but cannot grasp other things?_ "Is it kind of like Chiori-san?"

"I don't even know who that is."

Kyoko's eyes light up a tad. "She's and actress who couldn't break free from her roll after an accident, so years later she got a new name to start over. She's now the other LoveMe member!"

He's just about to dismiss it, but then thinks about it and something Kuon says comes back to him. _"Similar stories may help her connect you with you. If she comes up with something that fits in her mind, roll with it as much as you can."_ "It isn't quite the same, but it is kind of along those lines." He takes a deep breath. "Do you trust me?"

She looks at him hesitantly. "Yes?"

"Do you believe in me?"

"Of course I can?"

"Can you know that I have never _purposely_ lied to you?"

"I think so." _First affirmative...that's a good sign._

"And know that though I like teasing you occasionally, I don't wish to be truly mean to you." She doesn't even say anything this time, which worries him slightly. "I swear I don't, Kyoko." She starts at her given name and looks up from her hands. "Please remember that, at least."

"Alright, Tsuruga-san...you're kind of scaring me right now. What's wrong? Are the contacts that big of a deal?"

"Yes," he says seriously. "They are but the tip of the iceberg."

She sighs and leans back into the mirror. _You said you would stay by him,_ _a part of her says._ _Said you would be his protective charm. A lot is listening and silently going along while thinking about what might help him_ She closes her eyes as another voice speaks up. _But this feels big. It's not like you can unhear whatever he wants to tell me. It is obviously close to his heart, and I can't afford to keep tethering myself to him or I'll end up hurting more._ She peeks out at him, looking in his eyes. They are tight as he looks at her and she realises that he is in pain. She unconsciously reaches out to him like how she did when accepting the role for Dark Moon and touches his cheek. "Okay," she says, risking herself to get the chance to heal him.

"Tell me."


	15. Chapter 15

_It's finally time. This is it._ He swallows a lump in his throat as he wordlessly opens the empty case for the contacts he has in and fills them with solution. He then takes a breath and shakily reaches up to his eye as she looks at him. He takes out the one she can't directly see first with ease as soon as his fingers were close enough with the skill of doing this same routine every single day without fail since leaving America.

Kyoko watches him take out his contacts, which startles her because she thought they were in the case already. She watches as a brown contact falls into it's little case and is so confused that she keeps staring downwards as she looks at the little dot. _Brown? They are brown? If he doesn't have the beautiful brown eyes that I've come to know, then what eyes does he have?_ "Kyoko." She finally looks up into the eyes of question _. Mystic green? They look so beautiful! Why would he want to hide these? They look really good. Kind of reminds me of Cor..._ She shoves the thought aside. "There." He startles her out of her thinking.

"What?"

"What were you thinking of right there, just then."

"Your eyes are really beautiful."

"Thanks, but what were you _just_ thinking?"

"Oh. Nothing."

"Kyoko," his voice holds a mild warning, "what was it?"

"Nothing! The beautiful green they are just reminded me of Prince Corn for a moment, but that was it. So what is it about the contacts? Why are you keeping this a secret? Who all knows? Is it really that big of a deal?"

"What did he look like?"

"Who?"

"The fairy Corn. What did he look like when you were younger?"

"Why?"

"Just...answer me, please."

"Okay, well, he had green eyes and golden hair that sparkled in the sun. He's other worldly and doesn't match people in Kyoto. He popped out of nowhere and liked climbing on the trees and was really nice."

"Blond hair, green eyes. What else stands out?"

"He spoke the language of fairies first before speaking our Japanese."

"The 'language of fairies'?"

"Yes. He even had a picture book once written in it that he told stories from."

 _Wait. Is she thinking English? I did speak it and that was what that one book was written in, but how could she not remember that is was English?_ "Could you understand him?"

She looks at me like I have lost my ever-loving mind. "Tsuruga-san, it was the _language of fairies_. How am I supposed to know what he said?"

He bites back a sigh. "Are you sure it wasn't just English?"

"But I know English. Wouldn't I recognize it?"

"Well did you know it back then?"

"Know what?"

"English!"

"No, I only knew Japanese. I didn't start English until a couple years later."

"So will you say that there was a chance it was English and you just didn't have the ability to recognize it?"

She stares at him for a long second. "Why is this so important to you?"

"Because what if he was an American?"

"He's a _fairy_ , Tsuruga-san."

"What if he was just a boy?"

"He's not just some boy!"

"How do you know?"

"Because he isn't!"

"How?"

"Because he wouldn't lie to me!"

"Maybe he wouldn't, but did he ever explicitly say that he was one?"

"Y-" she was about to confirm, but his question brought her up short. _Well he didn't say he wasn't...but by that logic I'm a dog because I never said I wasn't one either._ She pauses for a long while, considering what he has said. "An American boy?" She thinks about the person in Guam. "Then why didn't he say anything in Guam then?" Annoyance tickles her tone. _Shoot._

"Maybe he thought you would think you were cruelly lied to if he came out and said he was human then."

Her voice rises sharply. "I would never-"

"You would think that he was humouring and laughing at you for your thoughts."

"But he wouldn't have thought-"

"How would you know?" He presses, moving closer to stand right before her. Ren's eyes widen a bit, subconsciously pleading for her to come to the conclusion herself and understand that he never intended to make a whole other persona. He never thought he would ever see ever again, much less have her remember him then. "How would you know why he would do what he did?"

"I don't know!" Kyoko throws her hands in the air, exasperated and wondering why he thought it was relevant to his eyes. She looks to her knees and speaks in a softer tone. "All I know is that he helped me when I never asked, and became a rock for an emotionally unstable girl. The Beagle even said he had his own problems way higher than mine, but he still never breathed a word about it to me and only listened to my problems." Tears start welling up in her eyes and colours her voice. "I couldn't even help him when he selflessly did so much for me back then." They start falling down her face and Ren is suddenly at a loss of what to do, just like when she was crying in Kariuzawa.

 _Come on, man. Keep going. Don't stop there._ His hands reach up and wipes away her tears, holding onto her face and his eyes look into hers, pleading for them to not cry any further. Her eyes look back, only mildly in shock that he is touching her. "What if I told you that you were fine, just how you were? You gave him something else other than him dwelling on his own stuff. He felt good helping you and liked being around you," he urged.

"But I couldn't be what he was to me, Tsuruga-san. I couldn't help him. I was of no use to him, and he left." Fresh tears pour out her eyes as she lets it out again, her need for air breaking apart her thoughts as she sobs. "If he wasn't a fairy...if he was American..." He can't stand seeing her crying face straight on, so he pulls her forward and just holds her as she cries. _Kuon, we can't plan anything concerning the girl. She reacts so differently than planned at times, and way too quick to turn around and recover._ It doesn't take too long for her to start stringing words together, but she doesn't back away from him, which he is glad for. If only her words weren't strung together to make the bullets that hit straight to his guilty heart with every question they form. "If he _was_ only going to America and not some other fairy world apart from this one, then _why_ couldn't he keep in touch? Why did he just _leave_ me? Not only in Kyoto, but _again_ in Guam eleven years later? He has left me _twice_. He _has_ to be a fairy. If he wasn't, then _why_?" Her hands make fists on his lower chest, slightly crunching up the fabric.

"He was afraid of disappointing you," Ren murmurs, his head turned down and lightly pressing his lips to her hair. "He knows that you thought of him as a prince and didn't want to let you down." Ren closes his eyes. "He still doesn't."

"But the prince thing doesn't even matter. He was still my first true and honest friend regardless of that and he left me behind." _Just like everyone,_ Ren mentally kicks himself while he already feels down.

They stay quiet for a long while, lost in their own thoughts. "What would you say to him if you saw him again?" Ren asks, breaking the silence.

She thinks for about a minute before shaking her head. "It's pointless. I probably won't see him again until I'm twenty-eight anyway."

 _What?_ "Why twenty-eight?"

"That's the next number in the sequence, right? Six, seventeen, twenty eight, thirty nine, fifty, sixty one, seventy two-"

"Intervals of eleven?"

"Why not? Granted, you can't be a negative age, but I used Guam as a reference number."

"I don't think you have to wait eleven years." _I definitely can't wait until she is twenty-eight to make her happy. Eleven more years? I wouldn't be able to stand it. I could barely plat Guam, but what else should I have done then?_ A couple different options fly through his head and he kicks his already bruised self in the gut again.

She pulls back from him and looks him in the eye, her next question practically written on her face. "How can you be sure?"

He winces, but then remembers that he actually does want her to know this time around. "Because I know him."


	16. Chapter 16

It's like...a bomb going off in her head. Or something else nerve-wracking because all she thinks she hears is a ringing noise in her ears. "Uh, come again?"

"I know him. Personally."

"What?"

"I know who he is, Mogami-san."

"...You know who he is in real life?"

"Yes."

"And he isn't a fairy?"

"No, he isn't. I'm sorry."

"Who is he? Can you take me to him?"

"He's your brother."

Her eyebrows fly up. "My brother? But I don't have a brother!"

"Mogami-san, I sure hope Hizuri-san never hears that from you," Ren teases.

She lets out a shocked gasp, her fingers covering her mouth. "Hizuri Kuon is my Corn?"

"Small world, huh?" _In fact, it's even smaller than that._ The annoying Disney tune starts playing in his head, but he drowns out the hysterical tinny music.

"Do mom and dad know?"

"No, he never told them about it." _Maybe I should have...the. It wouldn't have been so long. Maybe we could have been normal friends and this whole thing wouldn't be so damn complicated like a soap opera._ "It felt like a dream, those two weeks. He never thought he'd see you again.

"Can you bring me to him?" A thought enters Ren's mind and he pounces on the opportunity.

"I will. After you meet another...friend of mine."

Her eyes light up. "Really?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll be seeing this friend tonight, so you can come with me."

"Tonight? But I have a LoveMe job tonight," she frowns.

 _I know you do, Bo._ "How about I take you to your job tonight then?"

"Oh, but I can't have you do that."

"Why not?"

"Because it isn't needed."

"You wouldn't want to inconvenience me by not letting be take you, right?"

"Inconvenience you? How?" She looks at him worriedly.

"Well my friend works at TBM, so if you don't let me, I'll have to make two trips, and the traffic will be horrible. I might as well hit two birds with the same stone."

He notices her eyes tense slightly. If he weren't looking for it, he would have missed it. "Really? He works at TBM?" She asks cheerfully. "What's his name? Maybe I've heard of him!"

"Well, I don't know his real name, but his character's name is Bo. He's the rooster off of that one show with the singers. I think they are known as the Ishibashi brothers."

"No kidding? Wow."

"He's getting popular too. I tape the show whenever it's on and watch it for the chicken."

"That's pretty cool."

"Yes. He's helped me a lot, so I want you to meet him."

"But he must be busy if he records his show tonight. Maybe we shouldn't bother him," she puts out there. _If I didn't know what I know, I would have agreed. But now I'm feeling a bit empathetic because it is like this 'Bo' is akin to your 'Corn'. Just not eleven years running, as emotionally invested, infested with magic, and a chanced meeting...but the framework is there. That will help with the unveiling. Nothing like personal guilt to soften things up._

"Nonsense! Besides, it isn't like we are going to interrupt the show. We'll just meet him before or after." He shrugs his shoulders. "No big deal." He can see the inner turmoil of the girl and he nearly starts laughing.

"Okay! We'll meet your Bo," she gives in. "By the way, Tsuruga-san, what time is it?"

"I think it's inching closer to seven right now, why?"

Her eyes get wide. "We have to go!" She jumps down from the counter and peels out of the room.

"What's going on?" He follows her to the laundry room where she's shaking out the laundry.

"I have to be at TBM by seven-thirty or he'll have my head!" She gathers her clothes and locks herself in the bathroom quickly. He smiles and goes to his room to get dressed, re-poping the contacts in as he goes. He then texts the president to get Ms. Woods on standby with whatever is needed to change his hair at the office, then ignores his message asking why.

Ren rushes them to TBM and Kyoko tries to run the second they stop, but Ren stops her. He points to the clock as he keeps her door locks from his side. "Look, we still have twenty minutes since the traffic was surprisingly good and we were so quick leaving. Relax." They get out of the car together and they start walking towards the studio. They get to where the show is in less than five minutes and they stand at the door where an apparent stagehand stops them and asks them their purpose in being here. Well, asks Ren because he knows why she's here. "We're looking for Bo. See, I'm a friend of his and would like to speak with him and have him meet Mogami-san here." He smiles and slightly gestures to her. Ren notices the slightly confused glance from the man to the girl beside himself, but it disappears rather quickly.

"Well Bo is getting briefed about tonight's show now by the producer. We only have him a few hours a week, so he's pretty much busy until after the show. Is there a message I can give him?"

"Oh really? Well, then I guess we'll have to try again later. What was your name?"

"Ishibashi Hikaru, but as there are two other Ishibashis, we go by our first names. I'm Hikaru."

"Nice to meet you in person, Hikaru-san. You work with Bo quite well."

"You have seen the show, Tsuruga-sama?"

"If I'm going to be calling you by your given name, you will have to call me by mine as well. But yes, I do when I have the time after work." He gives a small smile. "The chicken is funny."

"Well then I guess you'll have to get onto the show and be a part of it sometime, Ren-san."

"I'll have to get my manager on it then."

"Yes, please." The man turns to Kyoko. "Kyoko-san, the, uh, set manager will be mad if you're late, right?"

"Your LoveMe work is on this show?" Ren asks Kyoko.

"She's a good runner," Hikaru answers for her easily without skipping a beat. "Almost takes no time going from place to place. She has good intuition as well; she will arrive to you with a glass of water before you even know you're parched." Ren nods, knowing what it was like when he didn't know he was sick.

Kyoko sends a prayer to heaven in thanks for a quick thinker like Hikaru. "Right, has anyone gotten Bo's suit yet?"

"I think so. It's in his dressing room."

"Thank goodness. Okay. So who's tonight's guest?"

"One of them is that retiring model from Julie Swan's line, but I keep forgetting her name. Last names stick with me better, but foreigners all go by their first names."

"You'll get it right in time. Was it Isabella?"

"No."

"Samantha?"

"No, but I think it did start with an S."

"Suzie then."

"That's it!"

Kyoko nods. "I remember from last time she was here she thought the room was too cold to stay in and her voice was a little dry by the time she got on stage which was a pity because her voice was like an angels. I should go see if everything is fine and give her some water after I find Kei-san."

"Okay, but hurry. You know he's always looking for fault in your work since you messed up the eggs that time. I think I saw him on the other side, past the cooler, around door three."

"Thank you, Hikaru-san!" She scurries away in the direction and loops the set quickly, diving into the right dressing room to quickly change and meet the other Ishibashi-sans with the producer as Bo with two minutes to spare. Meanwhile, Ren is left to chat with Hikaru for a few minutes before he dismisses himself to wait on his own so the host can go make his rounds.

 _Again, I find myself nearly believing what is being told to me. They just about fooled me into thinking she really is just a gofer for the show. I've got to be careful to not fall into step while trying to overturn this whole thing._ He steps out of the studio and goes to the cafeteria for a coffee, deciding to kill an hour. He tells the president what to get ready for the visit and even picks at an onigiri. He gets back to the studio in time to see Bo waddle out of the door in his suit. Ren's about to call after the rooster when he spies the chestnut-haired girl beside him, laughing.

 _Kyoko_.


	17. Chapter 17

_It can't be. She is supposed to be in the suit!_ It's all he can do to not just start peppering them both with questions. When he gets up to them, she turns and she is the genuine article. _Then who is in the suit?_ The bird salutes him. "Yo! Long time no see, Tsuruga."

"Hi...Bo."

"When Kyoko-san here said you wanted to see me, I was shocked. Now tell me, why would you want to see someone who laughs at you?"

"You laugh at him? When?" Kyoko looks over at Ren. "Why would you keep a friend like that?"

"Oh, well, he doesn't really-"

"Tentekomai?" Ren shuts up and looks at Bo as Bo looks at the ceiling, looking innocent. _What's going on here?_ "So, what can I do for you?" The rooster continues.

"I just wanted you two to meet since you helped me back then."

"Oh. Okay. Did you already know we work together?"

"No. I hadn't."

"Well then." They stand in silence as Ren just stares at the rooster. It's pretty awkward as both the rooster and Kyoko wait for Tsuruga to speak. When he doesn't, the guy in the costume wishes to leave, so he does. "If there is nothing else, I'll be going. I gotta get out of this suit." The rooster walks away from the pair and back to the dressing room.

The two walk out to the parking garage and get in the car. Once behind the wheel, Ren let's out a sigh reminiscent of when the two were pretending to play from Dark Moon and she had to start over. The NG sigh slithers down her spine and she shies away from the feeling. He starts up the car eventually and pulls out of the garage and heads to LME. She doesn't ask questions as they pull up and wordlessly follows him inside, half wary of him and half anxious about meeting Kuon. He stops in the elevator, not pushing a button for any floor. "You know, I had planned to make this easier on you. I really did. It was going to be a good, calm thing, but you went and make it difficult when you did _that_. And so _flawlessly_ too, without any planning or anything." He punches the button for the president's floor with a little more than the necessary force. "But I can't help you with that part of it now." They get to the office and he leads her in without knocking where a giant screen and popcorn machine are in place with a whole bunch of pillows, blankets, and oversized beanbags are on the floor. The president and his manservant are at the ready as they walk in. "I took the liberty of getting this ready for you with the president's help as you wait. However, the president and I have business to discuss, so you'll be watching this movie with Sebastian until he comes."

"You had this planned?" She looks up to him.

"Not for long, but the president was good for the time and lent his creative...gift."

"But you aren't going to watch it with me?" Her eyes are shiny and he just wants to agree and have a date with her, but he shakes his head.

"No, I have to get this done. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. We'll just have to do this sometime then. Although, I'd hate for you to go through this much trouble, so maybe just at movie at home would be better than setting a whole theatre up." _I like the sound of that. Not 'your' home or 'my' home...just 'home'. And a date? No way am I turning that down._

"That sounds like a good plan, Mogami-san. Now go on. Have fun." She smiles at him and goes over to the giant bag, barely making much of a dent as she sits on it like a normal chair. It was probably big enough to fit them both, which was probably the president's idea. He and the president walk out to an adjoining office area as the lights dim, making her gasp in awe as twinkling lights make their appearance up above like stars.

"What are you doing, son?" The president asks as soon as the door shuts.

"I'm telling her."

The president just stares at him. "You are? Why?"

"Because...she deserves to know. I need to tell her. It has gone on long enough, boss."

"So are you going public?"

"No, not yet. It really depends on what happens with her."

"Noted." The president relaxes his stance ad sits against the desk. "So! What was going on the phone with Yashiro? You had another person at your place last night? Named Kuon?"

"It's sort of hard to explain..." _Any time I try to think about it, it boggles my mind, so I'm sure explaining won't be that easy either._

"You can do your best."

"I can't even wrap my head around it well. It was weird. I don't thing it was as bad as the Twilight Zone, but it surely was pretty unusual."

"I've seen plenty of weird. Try me."

Ren closes his eyes. "I will while Ms. Woods does what I came here for." So they head to the bathroom/salon area and she gets to work. Ren closes his eyes and slips into English. "There was no guy named Kuon last night. It was only me and Kyoko."

The president follows suit on the English portion as he lounges on a spare hairdresser chair. "But Yashiro said it didn't even sound like her, and that you had said she was resting and whatever."

"Well, she was. She doesn't even remember any of last night."

"So who answered the phone?"

"Kuon and I did."

"Start talking sense, Ren, because the last time I thought I knew anything, _you_ were the only Kuon I know."

"That's because you never met her," Ren sighs. "Remember when dad was here and Kyoko was looking after him and he gave her some acting practice as his 'son'?"

"How can I not? I never stop hearing about his special son. I think he calls me three times a week to ask about him. On the days he doesn't call me about him, he calls me about you, so I talk to him every day. What about it?"

"That's who was up with me last night. Well, most of the night," he corrects himself, "Natsu was there too, at the beginning."

"Still not making sense."

"Kyoko was technically there, but she wasn't really conscious."

"How is that possible?"

"I'm not sure. She is just _really_ good at making characters. They have lives of their own."

"Anyone can see that in set-"

"I mean literally. If she weren't an actor and used them for her job, she could be checked into the closest psych ward for schizophrenia or something. Multi personality disorder. They were different than when other people are in character. I could hardly think that Kyoko had anything to do with them." The president opens his mouth to speak, but Ren goes on. "Her Kuon was so accurate it was borderline scary. I thought dad showed her videos or something, but he hadn't had the chance to. Voice, mannerisms, intellect...I wouldn't be surprised if her physical abilities changed with each character."

"That's almost unreal." _Says the flamboyant cosplaying president who turns his office into a desert on a whim._ "So she let them control her?"

"That's the thing! She was too tired to even notice what was going on. She was asleep and even having other dreams when Natsu woke her up!"

"So she really is a nutcase?"

"At times it's hard to realise how things work according to her, so yes?"

"But you still love her?"

"Without a doubt. And she loves me too," the president looks up, shocked by Ren's words, "but I can't go further until she knows about all of me. I'd feel too guilty."

"I presume you found out she loves you from these characters?"

"I also found out that you knew too. That you found out while we were Setsu and Cain and got her to admit it here in your office the time we met after."

"With how she felt about it. I didn't think she would tell you-"

"She didn't." Ren clarifies. "Her Kuon did. And her Kuon used what she knew and found out that I was the real Kuon. I have to tell her before she gets it herself or she will take it all the wrong way. She would think..." He gives up the chain of thought and stops talking, feeling Ms. Woods bring back his natural hair. The president holds his questions, sensing the running nerves in the boy.

When it's all done and the brown wig was secure. Ren hesitates at the door. "Can you have my parents in standby? I don't think it will be necessary, but dad might be able to help."

"Son, they have been on standby for the last six years, maybe more."

"Good." Ren walks back into the office where the last part of the movie was still playing, Kyoko still sitting up in her seat, eyes transfixed to the screen. He closes his eyes in contemplation. _I have an idea of how it'll go, but she tends to be notorious for going against what people think of her. Although, it would be wonderful if she reacted how one would want..._ Ren takes the time for a little daydream about how that would be.

He smiles and sits beside her, the beanbag making her lean into him. She, however, barely notices his presence. "Do you like the movie, Mogami-san?"

"It's a wonderful movie, Tsuruga-san! You should watch it next time." Her eyes flit to him briefly before looking at the screen again as the prince character runs on his horse after the 'bandits' who has his girl.

"I'll have to see if I can borrow it from the president and we can watch it back at the apartment."

"I hope so. I'd make some snacks for us that aren't so salty then." He looks at the bowl of popcorn in her lap that barely looks touched and smiles.

"Can I recommend fondue?"

"Anything you want, yes," she distractingly says before gasping at the sight of the prince being shot by the now retreating bandits, that were revealed to be the neighbouring king's knights, while the princess stands beside him. _I could make a mile long list of what I want, but it would all just boil down to you,_ he thinks as tears are streaming down her face because of the scene before her. He leans back onto his hands and openly watches her watch the movie, loving it when she realises the prince didn't die and the princess gets her happy ending.

When the movie is done, the lights slowly turn on and she looks beside her for the first real time. She blinks a few times, then actually rubs her eyes before blinking again. "Tsuruga-san?"

"Kuon, Kyoko-chan."

He watches her openly pinch her forearm and flinch at the pain. "It's you?"

"Yes, Kyoko-chan, it's me." She reaches out carefully to his face as he looks into her eyes. "Ouch!" A sudden, sharp pain on his cheek causes him to jerk back and his hand to fly up to it, capturing Kyoko's hand with a clap, all on instinct as if he were ridding the world of one more mosquito. "You don't have to pinch me too, you know. And if you do normally pinch yourself this hard, please stop."

"You, Tsuruga-san, are Corn? Are Kuon?"

"Yes," he admits.

"This whole time?"

"Well, I only became Tsuruga Ren after I was fifteen. When I was ten I was still Kuon."

"So Corn?"

"I didn't have the heart to correct you in how to say my name. You were six and thought I was a fairy. You believed in me." She wiggles her fingers from his hand and gingerly touches his hair as if it were real, spun gold. She pets his hair when he doesn't move away.

"The same person...same..." Her eyes become a little unfocused as her hand slowly stills in her hair and he can tell she's thinking as she processes the information. "Why didn't you tell me? When did you know?"

"I found out when your stone fell down the stairs at LME that one time with Sawara-san. The stone is pretty unique, so I couldn't mistake it. As for why I didn't tell you...it's kind of like a 'Bo' thing, but for much longer."

"Bo?" Her eyes widen at the name and he can almost feel an invisible, pulsing and impenetrable wall go up.

"I don't know how you pulled it off earlier, but I know you are Bo, Kyoko, so don't deny it. And before you start doing something weird, it's fine. I'm not mad, and I'm not embarrassed about getting advice from you."

"You're not?" Her eyes look at him closely for a lie or a weak point, but there isn't even one sparkle coming off of him. Her curiosity breaks the feeling of a wall. "How long have you known?"

"Last night," he answers, "um, you seem to be taking all of this more calmly than I originally thought you would."

"Maybe it hasn't sunk in yet," she says quietly.

"You seemed off from your normal self earlier too," he says, hushing his own voice to match hers.

"Is it bad?"

"No, it's just different than I was picturing."

"And what was that?"

"I thought you may raise a fit or yell or hate that I practically lied to you for eleven years or so?"

"But it was my mistake, right?"

"Uh."

"But that's okay. The truth is out in the long run, so let's move on from here."

"To where, exactly?"

Her voice drops. "To wherever it is we want, Ren."


	18. Chapter 18

Ren shakes his head. _No, no, no, this isn't how she'll take it all. Something isn't right._ He opens his eyes again and watches her watch the rest of the movie, her popcorn eating evenly paced so she is at the bottom of the bowl. He walks up and sits on the back half of the beanbag, careful not to disturb her when she has gotten herself comfortable. "How's the movie, Mogami-san?"

"It's a good movie, like any movie with Father in it. He sure is a proficient actor. I haven't seen this one, but I knew it was going to be good if it had him in it." The end credits roll and it is indeed a Hizuri Kuu film. _Was that on purpose or a coincidence? I wonder what movie the president chose..._ She keeps looking at the screen as if to remember it in her head. "Is your work with the president done?"

"Yes, it is."

"So we're going to see him then?"

"There's no need."

Her whole body turns around to look at him. "What do you mean? I thought you were going to take me to see him..."

"I didn't need to take you anywhere," he admits. _Like pulling off a bandaid._

"So you lied to me?"

"Unintentionally, yes. I guess I have. But who am I to decide the right time to give the truth?"

Confusion clearly colors her face. "What's the truth then?"

"Remember earlier when I said I was going to make it easier?"

"Yes?"

"That's because I had thought I would catch you being Bo tonight." Her eyes go wide.

"What?"

"Bo, the chicken? I know you play him."

She fails to meet his eyes, a dead giveaway. "How could I play the chicken you had me meet?"

"I don't know how you did it, but I applaud you for that farce. Just keep in mind why you wanted that secret."

"But I don't-"

"Kyoko, please."

She freezes. "You called me Kyoko."

"I did." _Dammit._

"You have never done that before."

"Without honorifics? Yes, I haven't. Wait, no, I did it earlier, but that isn't the point I guess. The point is, I can't make plans around you because you do things like earlier that trips people up."

"...so your plan was?"

"Catch you as Bo and use that situation to explain why I never told you about the Kuon we know."

"But it failed because I had Hikaru-san play dumb and memorize a script to go on?"

"Hikaru-san? That was the host we met when we got there?"

"Yes. He is closer to my height and was willing to help me. Without more of an explanation."

"That was a script?"

"Of course it was. I told him what to say as I was saying it and I steered it. I didn't tell him why though, or about what happened with tentekomai, or even what else we talked about! I just covered what would probably convince you, I swear." _She lead the act...huh. Virtually unscripted with no time to prepare and no clue if it was going to work, and she led it. I'd be more impressed if I weren't the one she was playing._ "But how does this work with Kuon?"

 _Wait. As intelligent and how well she can accurately draw conclusions when faced with evidence as she is, she still needs this drawn out?_ "Because Kuon in a 'Cain Heel' setting is only part of it."

"What's the other part of it?"

"Because the situation is set up kind of like Bo, believe it or not. He's closer than you think."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

He watches her thoughts dance behind her eyes before they seem to click in some fashion. Her eyes get wide. "It can't be..." He sighs as she shakes her head in disbelief. "It isn't true! Please tell me it isn't."

"Sadly, Mogami-san, it's true."

"But I don't see how it is possible!"

"I didn't think it was true at first either."

"How many more are there?" _Huh? How many more...?_

"What?"

"'Cain Heel' situations." She throws her hands up before counting on her fingers. "There's you with the whole 'Tsuruga Ren' thing you have going on that you still haven't explained, and then you as _the_ 'Cain Heel', and then now your telling me that the _president_ is-"

"Woah! Who said anything about the president?" _Just how the Hell does her mind work anyway?_

"You said we didn't have to go anywhere else, right? So then he is here. This is the president's office, so _naturally_ -"

"Just how old do you think he is? You met Kuon at least eleven years ago and he was young then. You yourself have met the president's _granddaughter_ , Mogami-san."

"Age doesn't matter. Chiori-san said that fairies were called the Immortal Butterflies, so I don't thing age matters. The president is the master of disguise and makes things happen like magic, like the time he had the office turned into a safari. For all we know, he's really a shapeshifting fairy of the Earth trying to gain power and spread it's thought among the populace. He could have been masquerading as father's son to help in his scheme and the Guam thing was a check up on his personal plan with me."

"Personal plan?"

"Hence the LoveMe section!" She continues. "Why didn't it exist before me? Why did I have to lead it as LoveMe Member Number One? It's his special little group to spread his thoughts personally, I think, and since he worked with me as a kid, I guess he decided to start it now. People refer to the LoveMe Section as the president's favourite and he is so involved with us, isn't it logical?"

 _Holy hell..._ Ren pulls back Kuon's feelings that the girl is almost nuts and stands forward himself to give off the feeling of a semi-neutral stance in order to guide her to reason. "When did you become such a conspiracy theorist?"

Kyoko shrugs. "Moko-san curses the group a lot and we've played ideas off of one another since she started pointing out the oddity of it." She says offhandedly. "I'm going to have to tell her of this one, Tsuruga-san."

"I don't think you should tell Kotonami-san."

"Why can't I tell her?"

"Because it is far-fetched and not true?"

"Wait, it _is_ a secret, huh..." She sighs at the thought of keeping something from her best friend.

"There's that too. Mogami-san, there is a very simple answer to all of this and that isn't it."

"About the president being a fairy?"

"No. He isn't a fairy. No one I know is a fairy," he clarifies.

"Oh. So what is he?"

"He's just a cosplaying president of an entertainment company. Not magical, but very eccentric."

"Okay then," she says, sounding a little let down.

 _Unbelievable._ "We came to the president's office because he knows Kuon too."

"He does?"

"He is the head if LME. It would be weird if he didn't know, considering he gave him a new life."

"So he is like a part of the yakuza? Giving new lives to people to have them start again?"

"No, there is no huge operation like that. No conspiracies or wildly imaginative things. He just took Kuon and put him in a new place with a new life."

"He's a kidnapper?"

"Julie likes to think so anyway, but no, there was nothing sinister about it."

"Julie?"

"Sorry, it's Hizuri Julie, Kuon's, and in a way your, mom."

"Alright. And did the same thing happen to him happen to you?"

Ren's taken aback by her turn. "What?"

"Did the president take you away from your living family to give you a life somewhere else and leave your parents ultimately heartbroken like he did with Kuon and his family?"

He thinks about it and can see his mom telling it like that. "That is a harsh way to put it." _It had mom's hands on it._

"Mom and dad still hurt over Kuon's absence, Tsuruga-san. I'm sure your parents feel the same if they are loving parents like they are. Unless," she gasps and her hands fly to her mouth in horror. "Are your parents not of Earth anymore?" Her eyes well up with tears and apologies.

"They are living, and are actually pretty loving."

She calms down with that assurance. "Do you talk to them still then?"

"I haven't in a long while, no-"

"Then you should talk to them! Kuon's parents are sad that they don't hear from him and have said that it will probably be a while more before they can, so if your parents do love you, you should really call them at least Tsuruga-san. They might not be my actual parents, but I write to the Fuwas in Kyoto every so often and they seem pleased because their son has chosen not to to talk to them at all. I wouldn't want your parents to go through what they do and only receive information from the news."

 _Now she's comparing me to that idiot Sho!_ He sighs, realizing exactly how tough it can be to talk to her about something like this. Ren may have been able to lead her on a few things and manipulate things to his favor occasionally, but really that would be the equivalent to an amateur magician against Houdini or David Copperfield. "How about I call them now? Would that make you happy?"

"I don't know if it would make _me_ happy, but I can tell you it would probably make your parents' day." She smiles nicely and it somehow aggravates him.

"Fine!" He goes over to Lory's desk were the laptop was playing the movie for the projector. He disconnects the projector and brings the laptop over to Kyoko without the cord and sits right next to her after turning up the lights.

"What are you doing?" She asks as he pulls up the video chat.

"Calling them."

"Your parents?"

"Yes."

"And you want me to be here?" She asks hesitantly as it starts ringing.

"It would help me out a lot in the long run, yes."

The line connects.


	19. Chapter 19

Much to Kyoko's surprise, the Hizuri parents show up on the screen. "Oh, hi. Tsuruga Ren, was it?" Kuu starts as Julie waves to Kyoko. "I thought it was Lory calling, seeing as it was his account."

"Mom? Dad?" Kyoko looks at her makeshift parents in surprise.

"Hi, son! It's good to see you again!" Kuu smiles, reassuring her that it was them. "So, why are you guys calling?"

"I'm sorry. Tsuruga-san said he was going to call his parents and it looks like he hit the wrong contact."

"What all did the president say?" Ren asks, slightly puzzled.

"He said to be on standby for something. There wasn't much in the e-mail."

"So he didn't inform you guys?"

"Inform them of what, Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko asks.

He answers her question, but towards the other two. "That publicly it'll stay the same but the underground is being destroyed. With her at least."

Julie looks at Kuu to confirm what she was hearing from her son. "Is it true?"

"What?" Kyoko asks, feeling like she was obviously missing something.

"Yes," Ren answers in English and Julie starts crying.

"Mom?" Kuoko leans forward as if she could lean through the screen and comfort the woman, but is confused even more about the smile on her teary face. Ren takes a moment to remove the 'Ren' wig that was made while he played Cain and Kuu gets teary-eyed, being a second late because his wife's tears surprised him.

"Son..." He sobs.

"Yes, father?" They both ask, but Ren in English to Kyoko's Japanese, which startles her and makes her look at Ren before her eyes go wide.

"Tsuruga-san?!"

"'Kuon'," he corrects, finally.

"What?"

"It's my name. My real and legal name."

"What?" _His hair is like Corn's was. All that is different is his eyes-wait. The contacts! But why would he look like him? What's going on?_ She looks at the screen to where Kuu is holding Julie as she weeps with apparent joy while saying her son has come back to her. Kyoko looks back at Ren as he looks with love to his parents as it has been over six years since he had been himself 'in person' with them.

At that moment the grudges have finally fixed what Natsu broke and have set her back to herself, causing a slight pause as things reconnect to their 'proper' places. Kyoko disconnects with what is happening in front of her an looks inward to process what appears to be happening and holding it up to what she knows. She reaches the conclusion as she stands to looks down at Ren. _He's...he is..._

"Kyoko-chan?" Ren holds the computer on his lap after it almost fell with her sudden rising. The way the name is said settles it and she runs from the room as he calls after her, stuck on the floor with his tall frame sunk into a beanbag under a laptop.

.o.0.o.

She sprints down the stairwell, her mind going as fast as she is. The place she goes on autopilot is the empty LoveMe locker room. She hurries inside, but can almost sense him coming from somewhere above her, probably in the elevator. With no where else popping in her head, she looks around the locker room for a place to hide. Under the bench is too noticable, and under the desk is too obvious to hide anyway.

She reaches for her locker, but then sees another option. A door that has a sign for it not to be opened. _Surely Moko-san won't mind...hers has a tad more room too because I have my spare craft stuff in mine._ She slides into the locker carefully, mindful of her friend's things and quietly shuts the door. It isn't two minutes later after she has calmed her breathing when the main door to the room bursts open.

"Kyoko!" Seeing it empty, he sighs and sits on the bench to answer his ringing phone and she listens to his side of the conversation. "Hello? I don't know, she just ran off. Yes, I'm sure. Well why else?" She looks at his blond hair through the locker slits that are open under Kanae's sign. "They didn't? So she is still in the building?" There's a pause before he speaks again. "Well I didn't think she would run off! I've been trying to tell her all night. Hell, for a couple years."

 _It must be the president._

"Please tell them I'll call them back after we find her, as myself." He sighs. "Yes, I know I shouldn't leave the building without the wig on. I won't screw up six years of hiding myself in one night, but I want to make sure she's okay. No, but she might be thinking something rash. There is? Well how many are there? Damn. I'll make my way back up there carefully then. The LoveMe locker room. No." He looks to the lockers and eyes them closely, making her heart beat quicker. "I guess they could be, but would she really? You're right I guess...I'll check them then before I leave. Yeah, yeah. Just tell mom to cool it and don't let dad board a plane quite yet, okay? Bye." He puts the phone in his pocket and lays back on the bench before letting out a long sigh. "Oh, Kyoko."


	20. Chapter 20

The door opens and Ren hops to his feet, expecting it to be Kyoko but finds Kanae in the doorway, looking shocked to find another person in here. _What do I do?_

"Who are you?"

 _Right. She doesn't know me now. Think fast, Kuon! Don't let her know you're you in any way! Kotonami isn't easily fooled normally._ "Здравствуйте! Я просто отдыхает." (Hello! I was just resting.)

"Excuse me?"

"Я не понимаю, японский?" (I don't understand Japanese?)

"I don't even know what you're saying to me. Do you need a translator?"

 _Well, I might as well speak honestly then if she is truly confused._ "Нет, это не будет необходимо, спасибо." (No, that won't be necessary, thank you.)

"Is English fine? I feel like you are not getting this. **Do you speak...English?** "

 _Fine. It would be more polite than to just walk out anyway._ " **I speak the English** ," he says, but it is thickly accented with Russian to cover himself.

 _Great. I just wish Kyoko was here. She knows English more than I do._ " **You need...help?** "

" **I was resting. I got call from man upstairs to come. Sorry. This...your spot?** "

"'Man upstairs'? What? **You mean the president?** "

" **Yes, the boss man?** "

" **I can...take you there.** "

" **Can you?** " 'I don't need to go though.'

" **Sure, I just need** **to**...put...uh... **put away?** " She shows Ren she is carrying something and points to the lockers as Kyoko's heart stops.

" **Course! Go ahead!** " He gestures for her to move as she would and steps out of the way as she walks. With every step, Kyoko silently pleads her friend to not react to her standing in the locker. She clasps her hands together in fervent prayer and makes her eyes a big as she can, trying to mimic Cain's puppy dog plea. The door is opened and Kanae jumps backward, thinking that Kyoko wasn't going to be there at the office today. She is about to scold her friend for giving her a heart attack when she notices Kyoko's plea for silence. She studies her friend and her obvious hope to stay hidden. _Why hide in mine? Of the ten freaking lockers here, why_ mine _? It says 'do not open Kyoko' right on it after you left those sweets in here for me. I still haven't gotten you for that after I ate the whole box. Now is as good of time as any._

She lets out a sigh and sets the bag beside her friend. "What are you doing in there, Kyoko?"

Her friend's eyes go wide. "Hiding?" She whispers.

"Why? From that man?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Why are you whispering? It isn't like he knows Japanese."

"I'd just rather...in case."

"In case what? He speaks English and some other weird language. He doesn't know Japanese."

 _That's what he_ wants _you to think._

"Look, I need your help with this," she motions to Ren who feigns ignorance and shows concern for the girl talking to a locker.

Kyoko freezes. "You have never asked me for help before."

"Well I'm not the best at English and you mentioned your scores in English were good. Can you do it or not?" Kanae crosses her arms and looks at her friend, knowing exactly what to say and how to get what you want from her. "He says the president called him."

"I know. I could hear from in here."

"Could you take him there?" Kyoko's eyes get wide.

 _I'm not ready! I'll be trapped, doomed to face it all right now!_ Her head shakes fervently, knowing that she can't be alone with Ren yet. _I can't process it all. It's too much._

"Well we can't just leave him here."

"Yes we can. He's fine, I'm sure. He found his way to this room. I'm sure he can find the desk for an (unnecessary) translator."

"I already said I would bring him there."

"Then I'll accompany you as far as there, help drop him off, and we can leave together."

 _If it gets her to help._ "Fine. Now get out of the locker." Kyouko reluctantly gets out and is faced with Kuon/Corn/Ren.

 _What am I even going to do? I don't even know how to call him?_

Kanae speaks in hesitant English towards the man looking at them. " **This is Kyoko. She's...knows English. More well.** "

" **I'm glad to meet you, Kyoko. Your English good?** "

" **Yes.** " She starts speaking quicker than Kanae can decipher, but she figures from Kyouko's gestures and directional words that she is helping in someway. " **If it is the president you are looking for, which I doubt, you want to take a left out those doors," she points to the exit, "until you reach an elevator. Ride it upwards until you get to the floor you know it is on and take a right, like always. After all, didn't you just come from there and work here almost every day?** "

 _She sounds pleasant to non listeners, but that smile is too tough._ " **I know you know it's really me, so why put on a front for her?** "

She shrugs, mimicking him from way back when she was Bo. " **It isn't my thing to tell.** "

" **Do you...know each one, er, other?** " Kanae interrupts after studying them for a bit while figuring her words out in English.

"What gave you that idea?" Kyoko asks, lapsing back into Japanese for her friend, of which Ren had to pretend not to know at all. "I was hiding from him in your locker after all. He's another of the president's favourites."

"International LoveMe?"

"I don't know the whole story." _I don't know if I want to find out what is going on here anyway!_

"But if the president is involved, it could very well be," Kanae mutters, not liking the sound if it. She shudders at the thought of a shocking pink world. "Did you just give him directions?"

"Yes. After all, that's where we met. He'll find his way, so let's go." She looks to him and holds both her thumbs up and asks in English. " **We're good, right?** "

 _International LoveMe? Well, she didn't give anything away..._ " **Won't you come back upstairs?** "

" **I can meet with the president another day about other things. I'd really like it if I could leave with Moko-san for tonight, and I'm sure you can understand a little on why.** " She smiles in a slight Mio fashion and tilts her head, making Kanae a bit more confused topped with anxious. " **After all, how can you not, brother?** "

 _Ouch._ " **I don't know if you meant that as Cain or Kuon, but Kyoko please, let me talk to you properly. It wasn't supposed to be as big of a shock.** "

" **And just why wouldn't it be?** " She asks, but then just wants to leave instead of getting into it. " **Let me leave with Moko-san. I need to get home and be on my own for a while.** " She signals for Kanae to follow and switches back to their native speak. "Let's go, okay Moko-san?" They go and he reaches for her hand, but she slaps his aside.

" **Please, Kyoko,** " he begs her in English.

" **It'll be a while if you're going to leave the building, right? Your hair and all? When you are able to leave, leave me alone a while, okay?** "

" **Kyoko...** "

" **And that goes for Yash...your manager too. Goodbye.** " She bows on the border of being impolite and flippant before leaving the locker room with Kanae, who is eyeing her from the side because of her strange behaviour.


	21. Chapter 21

They make their way to the exit when they are stopped by a security man she got along with while working.

"Mogami-sama. I was told to escort you back up the president's office."

"I will go back at another time, Mitsuhide-san." _At least it's him. But he is being too formal for just me. It must be the order._ "Right now though, we will be going." She makes a move to go around them and he moves back in front of them again.

"I'm sorry, Kyoko-chan, but I have my orders."

"They'll be changed if he is smart, now let us leave, please."

He then notices Kanae then. "You may pass, Kotonami-sama."

"What's going on?" _Is she in some sort of trouble?_

"It is nothing to worry about. The president just wishes to speak to her over something I guess." _He doesn't know? Wait, why would he? It is a secret after all, kept nicely from me._

"I know what it is about and it really is nothing to worry about. However, I am not feeling quite up to talking with the president. It would be another headache at this point." She touches the crown of her head as if to prove a point. "I'm having Moko-san take me home."

"Are you alright, Kyoko-chan?" He looks at her worriedly.

"It isn't something a good night's rest can't handle, Mitsuhide-san," she reassures him. "But with how things were, the president's office would be the _last_ place I should be headed." Kanae looks at her friend in surprise for the tightness in her voice.

"Is it a LoveMe thing?" He gives her a knowing look that she remembers from their shared time together on the job and she smiles.

 _I'm glad we came this way._ "Yes."

"Degree?"

She shakes her head. "Too complicated."

"Hmm...It's a direct order from the top though."

"How much?"

"Two. Open ended."

"Charitable, huh? Okay. Deal."

His eyes change to worry and he isn't even looking at Kyouko. "Oh Kotonami-sama, you don't look so well."

Kyoko relaxes. _I've got this soldier, president._

He rushes towards the other girl, moving past Kyoko and fussing over her, supporting her weight and feeling her forehead. "You best be getting home before you get any worse. We can't have it interfere with your career."

"What about Kyoko-chan?"

He nods solemnly. "She is a good person to oversee you in your time of need, indeed. You should head over to her place. Immediately. I can call you a taxi if you need." He takes out a phone and starts dialling. "She would be glad to see you."

"But she's right here." _What is this?_

"That fever must be a tough one if you're seeing people that aren't there." He holds the phone to his ear as it rings. He orders a cab to be sent to LME and escorts Kanae outside with Kyoko silently trailing along. When it arrives, he pays the taxi as they climb in. "Get rest Kotonami-sama, and get well soon."

"Will do?" He nods and heads inside as the car drives off towards Kyoko's place. "What is going on here?"

Kyoko hangs her head low in her hands. "I used you to escape, I'm sorry."

"Why are you fleeing from work? Why are we in a taxi? Why did he let you go? Who was that in the locker room? Why are we leaving? Why does the president want to see you? Why did he let us go? What is going on here?"

"I'm sorry Moko-saaaan," Kyoko cries. "I can't tell you! It isn't my place to say any of it, so I can't say!" Tears rapidly make tracks down her face.

 _She is obviously in distress. Something's up or she wouldn't have been rude earlier._ "What _can_ you tell me?"

"I know Mitsuhide-san from the LoveMe section when I covered people for their breaks a few times. We help each other out sometimes. I promised to make him two lunches in exchange for not seeing me."

"And it works?" _That is almost amazing._

"It comes in handy. He likes my sweets too."

"And that is the only thing you can tell me?"

"I think so. Oh! Tsuruga-san knows I'm Bo. I don't know how, but I found that out as well. Now it is only Shoutaro who can't know and doesn't."

"How does that connect with any of this?"

"It doesn't." She sobs, trying to calm down. "But it was something I _could_ tell you."

"Fine. Anything else?"

Kyouko searches her mind for anything she can say. "The president is not part of the Yakuza."

 _I didn't even have that doubt, idiot! Oh well, it is obvious I can't push too much._ "Will you be able to tell me the rest eventually?"

"I don't know, but if I find out one day that I can, I will."

 _One day?_ "Good. Now, for payment for dragging me into this without explanation, you owe me dinner."

"What?" She asks, kind of thrown off guard.

"I was going to go out for some before this whole thing. But quit your crying, or I'll just leave: it's unnerving."

"O-okay," she sniffles. "I'll make you something back at the Dayurama."

"It had better be good."

Kanae leaves soon after she is done eating, afraid that if she stays longer she will end up pressing her friend further and causing a commotion. _Would Tsuruga know what is wrong with her?_


End file.
